When God Hands You a Brand-New Year

Created by Mark Morris, Retired UPCI Minister, Springfield, MO

This truly is a special time of year as we prepare to close one chapter and step into another.

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
— Bible, Lamentations 3:22–23 (KJV)

One thing I want to remind you of is this: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is a God who wants you to succeed so deeply that He has built constant opportunities for starting over into our lives. We often talk about Him being a God of second chances, and that is true—but He is also a God who continually gives us the chance to begin again.

If you’ve had a bad week, He gives you another week.
If you’ve had a bad day, He gives you another day.
If you’ve had a bad month, He gives you another month.

And now, we stand at the doorway of a new year.

If this past year has been difficult, trust Him for a better one ahead in 2026. God has already built into your life the gift of a fresh beginning. Take a moment to reflect on what made the year challenging. Some things—such as sickness, loss, and tragedy—are beyond our control. But other things are within our reach.

Our attitudes.
Our love for one another.
Bearing each other’s burdens.
Our faithfulness to the house of God.
How we care for our families and steward our responsibilities.

These are areas we can strengthen. As we commit to doing better in what we can control, we trust God’s grace to cover what we cannot. For those things beyond our understanding or ability to change, we believe His grace will carry us through.

Remember this one powerful truth: God wants you to succeed so much that He has given you countless fresh starts. And in just a few days, He will place a brand-new year into your hands. Purpose in your heart that you will embrace it—that you will make the most of the opportunity and become all that God has called you to be.

As this new year unfolds, there will be things you don’t understand. There may be moments that challenge you. But don’t be anxious—everything is going to be all right.

God bless you, and may you have a joyful and hope-filled New Year.