New Year's Advice - January 4

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 85, 87; PM Psalm 89:1-29; Exod. 3:1-12; Heb. 11:23-31; John 14:6-14

On December 29, 2013, American author, Janet Rebhan, offered some wisdom for the New Year.  I came across her words for the first time this past New Year’s Eve, and like any good advice for how to live, it is often timeless.  Her words resonate powerfully for me as we live into 2021: “In this new year, may you have a deep understanding of your true value and worth, an absolute faith in your unlimited potential, peace of mind in the midst of uncertainty, the confidence to let go when you need to, acceptance to replace your resistance, gratitude to open your heart, the strength to meet your challenges, great love to replace your fear, forgiveness and compassion for those who offend you, clear sight to see your best and true path, hope to dispel obscurity, the conviction to make your dreams come true, meaningful and rewarding synchronicities, dear friends who truly know and love you, a childlike trust in the benevolence of the universe, the humility to remain teachable, the wisdom to fully embrace your life exactly as it is, the understanding that every soul has its own course to follow, the discernment to recognize your own unique inner voice of truth, and the courage to learn to be still.”

I love her advice because it places our outlook and willingness to grow at the center of what we are to experience.  We have a choice – a choice to remain teachable, to have a ‘childlike trust in the benevolence of the universe,’ and the ability to listen to who we are as the people that God has created.   Regardless of what we are to face, the challenges, the hardships, the moments of wonder and awe, and everything between, we do have control of how we face what life throws at us.  While we can’t control what others will do, we can influence how we receive the world. 

I think this same idea resonates with the author of Hebrews who uses Moses’ faith as an example of our own agency, at least in how we can lean on our faith to embrace the challenges of the world.  Moses chooses ill-treatment with the people of God but is able to do so because of his faith.  It is the faith of Moses and his people that they are able to endure challenges such as the passing of the Red Sea, wandering in the desert and fleeing Egypt.

We have different hardships today, but we have a choice in how we embrace life.  My hope for this new year is that your faith will grow.  Maybe your faith will grow from reading our Daily Reflections, or your own study.  Or maybe through conversations with friends, family, or your church.  No matter what life brings, I hope you learn even more deeply to lean on your faith, and through your faith, we can all see the beauty and mystery of God’s love redeeming this world. Faith really does move mountains.  Happy New Year and I look forward to growing with each of you.

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: What New Year’s resolutions have you made?  How often do your resolutions last?  Why is that?  Are you overly ambitious or not ambitious enough?

Daily Challenge: Print a copy of Rebhan’s advice and put it in a place such as your wallet, purse, or desk and commit to reading it each morning for the next ten days.