Walking with God into the New Year

There's something uniquely powerful about the final days of December. We stand at a threshold, caught between what was and what will be, carrying the weight of twelve months behind us while peering into the unknown ahead. It's a season of mixed emotions: gratitude and grief, hope and uncertainty, celebration and exhaustion all mingling together like colors on a canvas.

The apostle Paul understood this tension well. Writing to the Corinthians, he anchored their hope not in circumstances but in an unshakeable truth: death has been defeated. The cross is empty. The tomb is empty. Jesus has risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). And because of this reality, Paul declared with confidence that our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). No matter what the year has held, no matter what lies ahead, we can stand firm.

The psalmist modeled something essential for us: "I will remember the deeds of the Lord. Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate upon your mighty deeds" (Psalm 77:11–12).

Looking back isn't about living in the past, it's about remembering God's faithfulness. When we take time to reflect, we see His fingerprints everywhere. In the community gatherings that brought people together. In the generous hearts that opened wide to serve others. In the conversations that changed lives. In the moments when God showed up in unexpected ways.

But honest reflection also means acknowledging the hard things. The losses. The absences that still ache. The grief that sits heavy in our chests. One community reflected on a year marked by unexpected deaths, from a three and a half month old baby to high school students, from a college senior to suicides that shook everyone who heard. These losses tested their sources of inner peace and security.

Yet even in naming these painful realities, there's something powerful happening. When we remember, truly remember, we're not just cataloging events. We're acknowledging that through every high and low, God was present. We're taking a deep, cleansing breath, inhaling the reality of what was, and then exhaling it into God's hands.

Jeremiah 29:11 often appears on graduation cards and inspirational posters: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

But here's what we often miss: Jeremiah wrote these words to people in captivity. They were exiles in Babylon, living through one of the darkest chapters of Israel's history. Most of them would never see the restoration God promised. It would come seventy years later (Jeremiah 29:10). Yet Jeremiah encouraged them to look ahead with hope anyway.

This is the paradox of Christian hope. We're not promised smooth sailing. We're not guaranteed health, wealth, and happiness. Believers throughout history and around the world today face dangers, troubles, hardships, and persecution (John 16:33). But we have something more valuable than comfort: we have Jesus, who promises never to leave us (Matthew 28:20).

Looking ahead might mean making a deeper commitment to following Christ. It might mean aligning more closely with God's purpose. It might involve asking God to shape and mold us through the hard times into the people He's calling us to be (Romans 8:28–29). Perhaps it's committing to a Bible reading plan, joining a small group, or simply saying "yes" to God's invitation to grow deeper and reach wider.

And here's the beautiful truth: God's grace covers our past. No matter what we've done, how we've walked, or where we've been, God still loves us (Romans 8:38–39). He holds onto us. He's never going to let us go (John 10:28).

"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).

Between looking back and looking ahead, there's a crucial middle ground: being present today.

We can get stuck reliving glory days or trapped in past regrets. We can also live so focused on the future that we miss the moments unfolding right now. The days are long, but the years are short, a truth every parent knows intimately.

The Bible emphasizes "this day" repeatedly. God provided manna enough for today (Exodus 16:4). Jesus taught us to pray for daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Even the image of green pastures in Psalm 23 speaks to daily dependence (Psalm 23:1–3). In the Middle East, shepherds must lead their sheep to new grazing spots each day, where grass grows only in small patches near rocks moistened by morning dew.

This is our invitation: to depend on Jesus, our Great Shepherd, every single day (John 10:11). Sometimes every hour. Sometimes moment by moment.

Being present means being ready for divine appointments we didn't plan. The conversation in the grocery store aisle. The person who needed encouragement right when you showed up. The opportunity to share kindness or remember someone's name in a way that reveals Christ's love (Galatians 6:9–10). We don't orchestrate these moments, we simply stay present and responsive to the Spirit's leading (Galatians 5:25).

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:1–2).

Ultimately, looking to the end of the year means looking up, lifting our eyes beyond circumstances to see where our help comes from. Our help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1–2).

Looking up means asking: What's my purpose? What am I living for? It means recognizing the beautiful relationship God wants to have with us and responding to His invitation to draw closer (James 4:8).

As one prayer beautifully expresses it: "Just one thing I ask as I onward go, that I'll walk with thee, not too fast, nor slow... Let me walk with you each step of the way."

Standing at the year's end is standing at a threshold. Behind us lies a year of joys and sorrows, victories and losses, growth and struggle. Ahead lies the unknown, both exciting and uncertain.

But we don't stand alone. We stand with the One who conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:55–57), who promises His presence (Hebrews 13:5), who offers hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). We stand with the Shepherd who leads us to new pastures each day (Psalm 23:2–3). We stand with the God who has proven faithful in every season (Lamentations 3:22–23).

As the calendar turns, may we walk forward with confidence, not in ourselves, but in the One who goes before us (Deuteronomy 31:8) and calls us to follow (Matthew 4:19). Not too fast, rushing ahead in our own strength. Not too slow, lingering in past regrets. But step by step, day by day, walking closely with the God who loves us and will never let us go.

If this reflection resonated with you, we invite you to watch the full message, As I Look to the End of the Year, where Pastor Mark explores these themes are explored more deeply. Take time to listen, reflect, and allow God to meet you right where you are as you stand at this threshold and step into what He has prepared next.

You are welcome to join us, wherever you are, as we walk forward together.