When it comes to New Year’s celebrations, I tend to be somewhat unconventional. While most people are celebrating, awaiting the stroke of midnight, I can usually be found alone with pen and paper in hand, meditating on the previous year and making serious plans for the new one. It has never been a time of frivolity for me, but of introspection, contemplation, and vision for the futures. I have come to learn that most of what happens each year of my life is to a greater or lesser extent entirely dependent on my New Year’s ritual.
First come the inevitable questions: Did I reach last year’s goals? Did I read my Bible and pray more faithfully? Am I closer to the Lord today than I was last New Year’s Eve? Then the probing questions: Am I fulfilling the ministry to which God has called me? Are others closer to Christ because of my influence? Am I going in the right direction? Have I been truly faithful with the use of both my time and my abilities?
Some years as I reminisce, I am truly encouraged with how much I seemed to accomplish with God’s help. But sometimes, probably more often than I care to admit, I am overwhelmed by feelings of failure, inadequacy, and shortcomings. I see opportunities missed because of apathy, laziness or misdirected priorities. I see hopes and dreams that never materialized. Those are the hard times—New Years Eves when I’m tempted to throw away my yellow legal pad and head for the nearest restaurant. But it’s all part of the process.
“Failures” in the Bible
There are many people in the Bible who, like me, at some point in their lives could look back and see tremendous failure. Joseph believed God was going to use him to do great things, but instead found himself sold as a slave, cast into prison on false charges, then forgotten. The Israelites, who had been delivered out of Egypt by the mighty hand of God and who should have entered the Promised Land within a year’s time, instead were sentenced to 40 years of wilderness wanderings because of their lack of trust in God and their disobedience. Samson had superhuman strength and won mighty battles for the Lord, then found himself, because of his own sin, blind and powerless. David, the mighty king of all Israel, formidable warrior, and apple of God’s eye, one day found himself devastated by the sins of adultery and murder. The disciples argued about who would be greatest in Christ’s kingdom but soon found themselves bewildered and disillusioned as they watched their hopes and dreams being crucified along with Christ on a Roman cross. Peter had hoped to have such strength and commitment that he would die with Christ, and then denied Him three times. Paul had looked forward to sharing the gospel with the entire world and to going to Spain, yet he found himself in prison, shackled for proclaiming the gospel.
All these people with crushed hopes and dreams! From a human standpoint, it would be easy to classify them all as failures—in their spiritual lives, in their accomplishments, and in their potential for ever becoming successful in the future. Yet none were failures: Joseph became the second in command over all Egypt; Israel finally did enter Canaan; Samson, once more empowered by God, gave his life killing the largest number of Philistines he had ever killed; David received forgiveness and was restored to favor with God, continuing to be the greatest ruler over Israel that ever lived and privileged to be in the lineage of the Savior of the World; Christ rose victorious over the grave and ushered in a Kingdom unlike any the disciples ever imagined; Peter became a “rock”; Paul’s chains advanced the Gospel, and his letters have touched the entire world with the message of Jesus Christ.
“This one thing I do…”
All these people learned something put into words by the Apostle Paul: “One thing I do: For-getting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14 NIV). They didn’t allow their past failures to control their future prospects; they didn’t live looking back, but looking ahead. God’s people knew what it meant to begin a “new year.” It was something He had taught them. The Jewish people were commanded by God to celebrate the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) every year. In Old Testament times it was the only day of the year when the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies in the temple and offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. All the sins of the past year were forgiven on this one day.
Today, Yom Kippur concludes the “Ten Days of Repentance” that begins with Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year’s Day. Notice that when the new year comes, they take ten days to repent – to remember vows and commitments they failed to keep, missed opportunities, and sins committed – and to ask the Lord’s forgiveness. Then Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, comes and all is forgiven. They can start the new year with a clean slate, truly forgetting what is behind, and looking forward to the goal.
Moving On and Moving Forward
So, I don’t look at the past each New Year’s Eve so I can dwell on my failures, but so I can acknowledge them, repent of them, and move on to the new year. From the time I first became a Christian I have held tenaciously to Philippians 3:13b-14. I have come to learn that I am only a failure if I don’t keep going, if I don’t keep striving. When I’m so caught up in past inadequacies that I give up, I’ve lost the fight. But if I can forget about the past (which was probably not nearly as bad as my critical mind’s eye views it), I can begin a new year unhindered by feelings of guilt and failure – with a fresh, clean slate to start writing another chapter in my life and to serve God in even better ways than I ever thought possible.
As Christians, we can go to God every day for forgiveness. We don’t have to wait an entire year for the slate to be wiped clean. That’s what Christ died for. But there is still a certain “new-ness” we all feel at the beginning of each new year. So don’t let the opportunity pass you by. Take some serious time to look at where you’ve been and where you’re heading. Maybe you didn’t read your Bible, pray, or witness as much as you should have. Maybe you submitted to temptation or had a poor attitude or a wrong relationship. Maybe you failed to live up to other commitments you made to God. It can be a new year for you. Ask for God’s Forgiveness for the past. Make amends where needed. Forget what is behind. Strive toward the goal.
[This article was first published in The Vista Holy Living Digest, December 28, 1997.]
