Some friends and I were sharing via text messages this morning about what a tough year it has been for a number of people that we know. Not to be overly dramatic, but it just feels like the enemy has lined us up one by one and taken their best shot. As 2025 began, I was definitely not seeking for it to be the emotional roller coaster that it turned out to be.
I have both family and friends that are dealing with cancer diagnoses and are in different stages of treatment within this past year. Still others have physical illnesses that traditional medicine has not been very good at addressing. So these folks have been left floundering. Then there is the loss. Friends have lost jobs. relationships, spouses, parents…my mom, siblings, even children…young children. Then for me, and a friend at church, we both took the last week of the year out with the flu! Or maybe it took us out!
A number of folks asked me today how they could pray for me for the upcoming year. What I told them is my prayer focus for this new year is that I will be able to get re-engaged in living life without my best friend. I took care of mom for so long that I am having a hard time trying to figure out who I am right now. I wake up each day with good intentions. I have plans, but somehow I just seem to ramble around in this lonely house all day. I feel like I am just treading water. I want to be vibrant and strong for my Lord. I want my focus to be on Him.
That was not said for a pity party. That is just where I am right now because of routine. I have lived long enough and have watched my God work long enough to know that each morning presents a new day. And the way I look at it, each year presents a new year. The sun will keep on rising, the world will keep spinning and God’s mercy and compassion will be new each day.
As long as this world continues to turn, there will be human troubles, human trials and human loss. The hope that we seek and that we have, as followers of Christ, is in the eternal, not the earthly. God is faithful to let the sun come up each day and give us new blessings each of those days. I do believe we have to persuade ourselves to look for them sometimes. The book of Lamentations is about trials, disobedience and disaster; but it is also about God’s compassion, forgiveness and love. The first 20 verses of Lamentations chapter 3 describe a season of intense sorrow and suffering. Then when you get to verse 21, it is like a page turned and hope sprang up.
At the end of the sad verses (1 through 20,) the writer seems to pause and remember something. He recalls that there is hope. He reminds those that he is writing to that it is because of the Lord’s mercies that they are not consumed by all of their sorrow and grief. His mercies never fail because his compassions never fail, they never go away.
He reminded them that, through God‘s great faithfulness, each and every morning they receive a new day…a new day of living, breathing life.
The writer seems to shift over into praise mode. From his soul he declares that the Lord is his portion and he would continue to hope in Him. Then he turns back to the people to remind them that the Lord is good. He is good to them that wait on Him and to those that seek Him.
What is the challenge within this passage as we begin a new year? As the calendar turned over and we landed on 2026, I feel that the challenge for us could be in the letting go of 2025, accepting God’s loving-kindness and compassion and turning our faces forward to accept the new blessings that God has ready to bestow on us as we seek Him.
I think, to be able to apply this to our lives we first need to discover the same kind of faith and hope that the writer of this passage possessed. We need to seek the Lord and, yes, there are times we have to excruciatingly wait on Him.
My faith is strengthened when I realize that even through the hard times God is there. He gives me a new day to begin anew each morning, and he gives me mercy through those new days. And some days He even carries me.
Lord, I am thankful for each new day that You allow me to live and breathe. I am thankful at this time in my life for the calendar to turn over to a fresh new year. I need You in this new year more than I have ever needed You before. So much is different in 2026. My prayer is that my desire will be to earnestly seek You and lean on Your loving-kindness and compassion. I ask You to strengthen me and help me lead others to desire to seek You.
~~~~~~~~~
“21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” Lamentations 3:21-25
“For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.” Psalm 33:4 (KJV)
“To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,” Psalm 92:2 (KJV)
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.” Psalm 143:1 (KJV)
_____________
I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.
What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe? Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him? You can know Him. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity. You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.
Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ! PeaceWithGod.net
————————
Blog Image by me.
Restricted Vision, Unburdened Sight 