When God created the heavens, the earth, the oceans, the plants and the animals, He took time to assess His creation—and as Genesis 1 tells us, He “saw that it was good” (v. 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, NASB 1995). When He finished the job, He took a day to rest—setting in motion a rhythm of rest for all of us. God didn’t need a break; He was teaching us the importance of rest and quiet trust.
This principle of Sabbath has affected the way I start each new year. When one year ends, I make sure to take time to celebrate the highlights by looking at photos, savoring memories and writing down my best moments. I also mourn my losses. And I carefully consider how I can grow spiritually in the coming year.
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We all need to take a deep breath before we race into a new year. This has become a spiritual discipline for me. I relish the memories, smell the flowers I saw along the way and thank God for the victories. It’s my way of saying, “It is good” before I rush into my next assignment.
Serious self-examination is good for the soul. Psalm 119:59 (NASB) says: “I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.” Lamentations 3:40 (KJV) adds: “Let us search and try our ways, and turn back to the Lord.” As you begin 2025, I urge you to set time aside to ask yourself these 10 questions:
/**/“What were my highlights in 2024?” It’s important to celebrate your victories and mountaintop experiences. Psalm 103:2b (NASB 1995) says: “Forget none of His benefits.” I love to write down my best memories of the year and thank God for each of them.
“What did I learn in the past year?” The Holy Spirit has been working in your life, perhaps in ways you may not have noticed. Take time to record what you learned from God’s Word, from sermons, from mentors, at your job and, yes, even from your mistakes.
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