New Year, New You
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! —2 Corinthians 5:17
Have you made a New Year's resolution?
For years, I welcomed the new year with a fresh goal, a resolution. After all, that’s what everyone else does, right? But I consistently fell off the bandwagon about three weeks in. I indulged in the chocolate bar, stopped going to the gym, and went from feeling fabulous to feeling drab. I once again shook hands with shame and defeat, which reminded me that I would never be the girl on the cover of a magazine; I would never measure up … Sound familiar?
But what if we embraced the identity God gifts us through Jesus Christ as we enter this new year?
While it’s great to set goals and stick to them, knowing who we are in Christ and living in the freedom and victory that come from placing our faith in Him is far more critical. I may not know you personally, but I know what God’s word says about you. (The book of Ephesians is especially helpful for learning what God says about you.) He calls you chosen, loved, forgiven, and redeemed. He calls you holy, a friend, and a child of God. He loves you. He accepts you. You are not too far gone for God to redeem your story. When Jesus died on the cross, He died for all your sins (past, present, and future). He offers you the gift of salvation; all you need to do is accept His invitation.
We become new creations when we receive God’s gift of salvation. God chooses us and calls us His own. He will never stop loving us. Others may reject us, but God accepts us.
Friend, it's time to embrace the identity you have been given in Jesus Christ this new year. I encourage you to look in the mirror daily and declare who God says you are. You might initially feel a bit silly, but over time, you will start to believe it, receive it, and live from it:
I am chosen by the God who created this entire world and everything in it. He calls me very good. He has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in Jesus. God calls me chosen, holy, blameless, and adopted. As I walk with Jesus, God grants me wisdom and knowledge. I am sealed in Christ Jesus. God loves all of me. I am forgiven. I am God’s work of art, a masterpiece. God chooses to stay close to me always. God loves me.
I believe this new year will bring a new you, the person God created you to be. Don’t worry if you make mistakes; tell God you messed up and choose to do the next right thing in obedience. Remind yourself who you are and to whom you belong and continue moving toward Jesus in 2025.
Happy New Year, friend! Jesus loves you.