Ready or not, 2021 is here. Do you have mixed feelings? Maybe glad to say goodbye to 2020, but a little afraid of what this year may bring? I get it! Here’s some encouragement for stepping into the new year.
Everyone’s experience in our COVID-19 world has been different. From suffering the loss of friends and family members to financial and job uncertainty, working and learning from home has brought blessings and challenges.
But the common thread through the year has been an earthquake-like change that we did not see coming.
For me, 2020 really forced me to accept that I am not in control. (I thought I had learned that when my husband had cancer, but I guess I hadn’t really understood)
Here’s some encouragement for stepping into the new year.
“Yahweh will always guide you where to go and what to do.
He will fill you with refreshment
even when you are in a dry, difficult place.
He will continually restore strength to you,
so you will flourish like a well-watered garden
and like an ever-flowing, trustworthy spring of blessing.” Isaiah 58:11 (TPT)
I found a lot to be encouraged by in this verse. I hope you do as well.
A Promise for Direction
Sometimes I hesitate to act when I’m in a difficult place. What if I make the wrong choice or act at the wrong time? What if I make matters even worse?
So right away this verse answers that concern. Yahweh (a Hebrew name for God) will guide me. He will show me where to go and what to do.
I particularly like the picture of God being my guide. It has such an element of care and trustworthiness.
It reminds me of when we had visitors when I was a child. We lived in a big city, and the roads were busy. Some of our family lived far away and were not used to aggressive driving, and merging lanes. So when it was time for them to go home, my dad would drive ahead of them.
They followed him, changing lanes and merging at just the right time. They did not get lost. Because they trusted that he knew the way, they did not feel anxious.
Knowing that God will guide me has the same effect on me today. I just have to follow. No matter how difficult the choices may appear, I don’t have to worry.
A Promise for Refreshment
Have you felt exhausted at times in 2020? I have felt utterly drained sometimes. But this verse encourages me. It promises that God will fill me, and you, with refreshment.
The next words seem tailor-made for this time: “even when you are in a dry, difficult place.” Does that not describe our experience right now? Even now God will refresh us!
Just like after weeding the garden in the hot sun, or working out, we need refreshment to go on to the next part of our day. We need to be replenished.
A Promise of Restoration
The last part of the verse gives me the encouragement for stepping into the new year that I need.
God will continually strengthen me. There is no limiting statement. It does not say He will restore my strength only when I am at the end of my rope. I can go to Him for restoration at any time!
The final words of this verse show the abundance of what God will provide. It is just not enough strength to get through the problem or make it to the end of the day.
It promises: “so you will flourish like a well-watered garden and like an ever-flowing, trustworthy spring of blessing”
Don’t you love this picture of beauty? The image of the ever-flowing trustworthy spring causes me to think that we could then be an encouragement or blessing to those around us too.
I hope that you found these promises give you encouragement for stepping into the new year. Come back for more encouragement next time. 😊
If you would like to read a previous post about setting a plan for the New Year, click here.