LOOK FORWARD INTO THE NEW YEAR (Don’t be weighed down by the past)
We are right on the brink of another new year. It’s common for people to take stock of the previous year/s at this time. While it’s good to evaluate the past, we should do so with care because sometimes we don’t like what the review dredges up. Missed opportunities, mismanagement of our resources and other forms of misbehaviour we are guilty of mock us. Regret tries to rule our hearts. Even despair can set in.
“What makes you think you can do better this year than in the past?”
[bctt tweet=”Take stock of the past but don’t get stuck in it. #NewYear #HappyNewYear” username=”edithohaja1″]
?
(Related: The Best New Year Resolution to Make)
?
The children of Israel must have felt this way. They had blown countless chances to live according to God’s commands. They just could not shake the lure of idolatry and they paid dearly for their disobedience: constantly defeated by their enemies and suffering famine and hardship. But the Lord brought them a word of comfort and restoration at some point through the prophet Isaiah.
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:19 (KJV)
Imagine that the Lord is saying the same to you. Look forward to the new and exciting things He has in store for you in the new year. Do whatever review of last year you wish to but don’t let your mistakes or failures weigh you down. See them as lessons on what not to do. Let them spur you to partner more closely with God in the new year and to strive harder at what you do.
?
(Related: I Spoke Too Soon – Poem and Devotional for the New Year)
?
You are wiser now because of the bad experiences. You can do better this year with God on your side. Don’t let the past pull you down. Rather, let it propel you into the glorious new year that God has for you.
[bctt tweet=”You can do better this year with God on your side. #NewYear #hope” username=”edithohaja1″]
Have yourself a very happy new year and give God all the glory.
❤️
❤️
Subscribe to edithohaja.com to receive updates of new posts (inspirational, educational and entertaining articles, poems, quotes and graphics) in your mail. Subscription is free.
–
You can also like my Facebook page, Aunty Edith, follow me on Instagram, GooglePlus (1), GooglePlus (2), Twitter (1), Twitter (2), Pinterest and StumbleUpon. Plus, you can connect with me on LinkedIn. Jesus is Lord!
Yeah, it’s true most times our mistakes & misfortunes tend to weigh us down; no matter what, the past is the past & tomorrow is all we have to move on. Happy new year in advance ma’
Have a great new year too, Chinaecherem!
What has happened has happened, the future is all we have to look up to & God, for he never fails. Happy new year in advance.
Happy new year, my dear!
The future indeed is brighter because we have opportunities to plan and avoid mistakes which can’t be corrected in the past. we all hope for a bright future.
May God hep us realise our hopes in Jesus’ name.
I REALLY thank Almighty God for keeping me alive till this year. Its not my power but HIS special Grace made me to see and witness 2018. JEHOVAH, l thank you again. l don’t want to evaluate last year. But l hope to count the blessings of Jesus one by one this year.
Praise God! But there’s nothing wrong in such an evaluation as long as we don’t allow ourselves to be depressed by it.
I REALLY thank Almighty God for keeping me alive till this year. Its not my power but HIS special Grace made me to see and witness 2018. JEHOVAH, l thank you again. l don’t want to evaluate last year. But l hope to count the blessings of Jesus one by one this year
I agree with you because there is no opportunity in yesterday, little today, many blessing and opportunities are in the future. God bless you.
And bless you too, Samuel!
Holding to the past is one mistake we always make, forgetting that the past is gone and we have today nd 2moro to right our wrong.#our past is a guide to a new beginning or better 2moro#
May God help us to escape that trap this year in Jesus’ name.
Take stock of the past but do not get stuck in it. This is indeed powerful. My mentor would always tell me that yesterday has no opportunity whereas tomorrow has many opportunities. To some extent, his proposition is true. Thanks for your advice.
One has to let go of the past in order to move forward. but should also not make the same mistakes for a happier future, only God can help us. happy new year, ma.
Happy new year to you too!
Thinking of the past is not advisable though one has to point out one’s weaknesses and move ahead for the good ones.
It is always said that there is no O in yesterday an the O represents opportunities but today and tomorrow has O. It is good we forget the past and face the future of life for old things has passed away, behold, all things has become new.
I think people should genuinely evaluate the events and decisions of last year in order not to repeat the mistakes of last year and make the right decisions this year. Happy New Year, Once Again!
Happy new year to you too, Chinagorom!
First of all, I am thankful to God for keeping me alive to see this new year despite my weaknesses and unfaithfulness to him. Amendment is all we need in order to be focused for better days ahead.
This is a wonderful piece Ma. I know that God has glorious and miraculous plans for me this new year
We always make the mistake of trying to move forward while holding on to the past, forgetting that moving forward requires that we let go of the past. I pray God helps us this new year to do things differently
Problem is we often mistake relapse for failure. Failure is when you have no option of bouncing back and decides to give up. Relapse makes room for improvement which eventually brings us the success story. God will never allow believers fail. It’s not just possible.
The previous year is for us to learn from mistakes committed and adjust ourselves in the next year. Hence, the essence of January from “Janus”.
We should learn not rely on our past mistakes and failures rather we should work towards being better than we were yesterday and also avoiding the flaws that led to the costly mistakes we made in the past.
Just as the book of Isaiah made it clear that there is always a light at the end of every tunnel. It is just left for us to ensure that we are able to put up the right attitude towards every situations of our life.
Well this is already two months into the new year and God is already dealing with stuffs in my life.
It’s never too late to change negative mindsets.
New year comes with its own challenges but in all we shouldn’t be weighed down. Let it go!!!
the Lord is doing a new thing in my life. Amen! very inspiring piece ma.
I believe the past has no right to block our blessings of today and tomorrow. This is the reason why we make our “new year resolution” and what is this new year resolutions, it’s simply deciding not to let your past life (no matter how it is) hinder you from achieving your set goals in the future.
Coming into this year 2018, I hold dear God’s words to my heart, I won’t forget nor ignore the past but rather I would embrace them, look at the areas I have wronged God and myself, seek amendment and equally look further to the future with great new excitement.
If we tie ourselves down to our past mistakes, we tend to make more mistakes and fail to take corrections and make amendments. We must therefore take corrections from our past mistakes and look forward into the future believing that God will do a new thing in our lives. A very nice piece for the year. Thanks for sharing, ma.
Irrespective of what we’ve been through in the past, I believe that it can only get better with the right steps and faith in God. Bless you ma.
It’s March already – three months into 2018.
2018 already looks promising for us.
Amen.
Baggage! Especially from the past is a very bad thing to carry into a new year. To me, a new year is like another opportunity to make things right. To get better, just like the dawn of a new day, it presents us with reasons to soar. Most importantly, without regrets. 2018 has been gracious enough. All thanks to the almighty!
A lot of people find it hard letting go of the past..its in the past for a reason,for you to get back stronger and better.we all must have had one bad experience or the other in the past,you need to clear that memory to create space for new ones…nice one ma!
I always hold the belief that each new day, month and year we see is another gift of God given to live more better and wisely. Most times, we tend to be so focused on the past,on the things we could not achieve and mistakes we made that we often end up failing to see what promises and plans God has laid out for us. We should always let go of the past even bit it is difficult in order to courageously move into the future. May God help us in letting go of our painful past.
There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, its all about patients and righteousness, looking back at our past mistakes only takes us back in living in the past, forward ever is my case, no looking back.
I have resolved to stop holding on to the past. I have decided to move on and not let the past hold me down. This year, I hope to be better and end the year on a good note. So help me God
It is way too easy to stay trappedin the past & allow it to overwhelmthe present but thank God for posts like this that uplift & remind us that we are not defined by or condemned because of our past.
We are already three months into the year….and the year is looking promising. I pray it continues to be so in Jesus name. Amen!
I pray to have the opportunity to redo and correct the mistakes of last year and prepare well and make the besr pf this new year we have entered without blowing up chances of impressing people and My God.
The future will always be brighter than d past… The new year gives us the opportunity to mend our way n be more closer to God.
The new year gives us the opportunity to mend our ways n draw closer to God… Ma dis is an interesting piece…
yeah its true, we should learn how not to focus on our past failures and achievement, we should focus more on the future and how to avoid the mistake we made in the past instead of dwelling on them.
i can’t relive the past or correct my past mistakes, but i can always start anew and better myself each day. thank you ma.
Yes, this is so true. Ma I think this message was meant for me. I will try to let go of my past because this year has so much in stock for me and will look towards correcting my mistake.
whatever is coming is greater than what is gone, look beyond the door you think is closed for you, the new year comes with opened door,unlimited blessings,uninterrupted joy and greater happiness whatever the past year brought let it go with it look forward to the new year.
Some times our past try to bring us down, which make us afraid of our future, but with Christ the author and finisher of our faith, when we look into him, he will direct us and strength us to over come our past and help us to concentrate in this year.
SOMETIMES WE ALLOW THINGS TO AFFECT US SO MUCH THAT WE TEND TO FORGET THE WORD OF IN ISAIAH 43:18-20 WE SHOULD FORGET THE THINGS OF THE PAST AND REMEMBER THEM NO MORE…WE ARE BORN TO WIN BECAUSE JESUS HAS ALREADY DONE THE BATTLE FOR US.
we should learn never to look at the mistakes we made last year when entering a new year, we should forget our past and turn a new leaf, so that the new year will be perfect for us by his Grace.
As we have gone half past this new year some of our new year resolutions may not be have been carried out fully, but if we are persistent and we look for ward, very well yes, this new year would be to our favour.
We should always look past our misfortunes and downfalls in the previous years bcus ones there is live there is hope
The future is brighter because we have opportunities to plan and avoid mistakes which can’t be corrected in the past.
Ma, i so much like this post, and the most important saying there is “i will do a new thing says the the lord” so my dears, whatever we did not achieve last year, should not weigh us down rather, let us strive more and the lord God will strengthen us to achieve our aims in Jesus name. amen.
If only we can get it right with God, suffering doesn’t kill but makes us stronger and better.
No one should let the things of the past weigh him/her down because “IFEOMA” is always in front. Atimes persistence won’t always win the case but trying something new.
Nice and encouraging piece ma!!
Let bygones be bygones, focus on the future so as not to have to make mistakes like the ones from the past, do this and you will attract a lot of positive energy
The future holds bright things for us. Most times we becloud our present with the mistakes of the past which hinders us from moving forward and achieving more in the future. Let’s strive to make our future colourful and channel all our positive vibes into it.
We should always look forward to the future, let go of the past and move forward. Do not be weighed down by the past. Once there is life, there is hope. As long as we are alive, we should not give up or let the past determine the future. Every new year should be better than the previous one.
I seriously like that question: “what makes you think you can do better this year?” We make resolutions, yet we find ourselves again, doing that which we vowed never to do again; even apostle Paul complained of such in the scripture. So, I ask again, what makes you think you can do better this year without properly accepting to walk under God’s guidance?
As I would always advise, let not the disappointments of the past stop you from trying in the future. Most times, we tend to give up hope on a particular issue; we tend to look at some things as something we can’t do simply because we had tried and failed in the past. But this is trying to tell us never to give up hope. Remember we have a creator, who had promised to always come to our aid whenever we are in trouble, and our hopes shattered. Remember that God who had never changed, from the days of Abraham, down to the times of Isaac and Jacob, and David. Lo! He’s still the same today. He can change your story. He can still make you a success no matter your failures in the past.
God had promised to come to our aid whenever our hopes are shattered. He can make us a success, no matter our failures in the past. So with God, I know I can make it this year…
Last year experiences shouldn’t weigh you down, but I should make you a better person and make you fight for what you lost the previous year/s.
Am happy you gave this piece, it has really helped me to know that experience is a good teacher and we should aim for a higher and better goal. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Okechukwu Timothy
So true,people allow the past to weigh them so much that they don’t see any good in the future. Let’s leave the past and believe that God is on our side while looking to future.
We always make mistakes at various points in life. It is our attitude towards these mistakes that determines how we live in the present. When we make wrong moves in life, we just need to ask for God’s guideance. We evaluate our mistakes and know where we got it wrong. Then in the future, we can avoid making the same mistakes.
One of the things I learnt from this post is that we shouldn’t let the mistakes of the past weigh us down but rather, they should propel, spur and goad us to achieve our dreams or goals. Thank you ma for this mind opener artilce
Actually,is nice to flashback to past life b/c it is from this past life that we are going know our weaknesses and how to improve on it,don’t let your past misfortune to weigh u down rather see it as a challenge which is meant to be conquered.
we won’t be judged by our past but what we are doing now. In the new year celebration we are advised to leave things of the past and work towards our future.
It is not right to dwell in the past. It is advised to learn from past mistakes and look forward to the future and that’s exactly what I will do. Thank you.
Its a new year, reviewing past mistakes is good but allowing it to weigh you down won’t change/correct the mistake but it would affect today.. The Lord has promised to do a NEW THING, and I trust him to do so…
Thanks Ma
Most times we let our past mistakes try to manipulate our present which is not advisable. We should learn to let go of the past and think more about the future. If any man be in Christ, old things are past away behold, all things have become new. All things are possible when we call on His name. Because He lives I know I can face tomorrow, that is my assurance in Him.
A great philosopher Socrates once said that” unexamined life is not Worth living,”but let it not be that our yesterdays will weigh us down from achieving what the future holds for us. Thanks and God bless.
The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers. (Deuteronomy 30:9)
May this new year oh God Almighty be a year of discovering our potentials. Help us oh God Almighty to overcome that demoralizing and discouraging word of ‘I cannot make it’
Oh God Almighty please prosper the works of our hands…. Amen
Not minding of what we have been encountered in the past, I strongly believe that it can only get better with the right steps and faith in God.
Nice post, Ma! In the part where you said, “don’t let your past pull you down”, l felt that part was directed to me and it made me see reasons to stop worrying and quit regretting my past.
The past is gone, the present determine the future and the future is a result of your present. There is no space for past in the future so forget it and work on today to have a perfect tomorrow.
I REALLY thank Almighty God for keeping me alive till this year. Its not my power but HIS special Grace. JESUS l thank you again. But l hope to count the blessings of Jesus one by one this year I agree with you because there is no opportunity in yesterday, little today, many blessing and opportunities are in the future. God bless you.
Not just the new year, but as we enter into a new month, a new week, and a new day we should learn to keep the baggage of yesterday with it and move forward for a brighter day and opportunity…
Most times God allows us to pass through difficult moments and also make mistakes so that we could learn from and become better people. So what ever we have gone through before, we should ascribe all glory to God and look forward to better years ahead.
It’s nice a decision to neglect to failure of the past. Great men fall seven times and rise up seven times. What makes you a successful man is the ability to overlook the past and face the forging things ahead.
Thank you for this post. We should never let the past weigh us down rather we should learn from our past mistakes. It is a new year and new beginning for everyone, so we should focus on more accomplishments.
We all have a past, we have things we’re not happy about… But God’s word tells me that he would do a new thing… I look forward to the new things God shall do for me, I’m not holding on to the past.
I REALLY thank Almighty God for keeping me alive till this year. Its not my power but HIS special Grace made me to see and witness 2018. JEHOVAH, l thank you again. l don’t want to evaluate last year. But l hope to count the blessings of Jesus one by one this year
even though we learn from our past, it isn’t always ideal to remain there since one has to move forward and not the other way round. that way, we will be able to make headway in life. God bless you Ma for this post.
Thank you aunty. Indeed with Christ in me I can do all things. God help me and bless you
It’s good not to get stuck in the past but to press forward because God always has good in store for us.
Love this! It actually reminds me of the sermon our pastor preached this past weekend.
God bless you, Heather! I’m glad to hear that.
Past experience and encounter can remould your way of thinking and your behaviour. Its left for us to change the way we do things to avoid it repeating twice
Before the year comes to an end , I do take a pen and calculate everything that happend to me for that year.
I will put down areas I made mistakes and places I attend success , I also don’t allow my mistakes to weigh me down instead I find a possible way to correct that in the new year .
There is a saying that “new year, new opportunities” so when entering a new year I bear it in mind that greater opportunities is waiting for me and I never let the failure in the past year weigh down cause its more like a lesson to me.
Every year we make resolutions, most times we find it hard to stick to it but we still try.. I see every New Year as a new opportunity to correct my past mistakes and live right.
This is so true. We should always do better in a new year than the past year. Making out new year resolution is one way of making ourselves better and becoming better people. We shouldn’t let our mistakes in the past hold us back. No matter what we should always remember that new year is the time to evaluate your life and make yourself better if you are not satisfied with the steps taken in your past life.
We all have past lives either good or bad. There is no such as a “new soul”. All of us have been reincarnating for so many number of years and in truth. Dwelling on the past make you lose sight of your present life. This can make your life quickly pass you by without enjoyment of the present and future.
Jeremiah 29:11..For i know the plans i have for you,declares the Lord,plans for welfare and not for evil,to give you a future and a hope.
I believe the reason why God put our eyes in the front is for us to be looking forward. Dwelling in the past will do you no good, and don’t use your past as an excuse to ruin your future by allowing it to weigh you down. We should only learn from our past, not dwelling in it and believing that our tomorrow holds a brighter future.
Most times, when I remember my past and the mistakes in them I feel guilt within and it weighs me down. But when I have a deep thought of God’s promises for my life, Joy overflows again and again. God bless you ma for this post.
We shouldnt hold on to the past,our past mistake is a lesson to us all and is teaching us how to handle our new future ahead .may God see us true the new year
Life has so many lessons to teach us, all we need to do is to learn from our past and mistakes to make a better future.
New year brings about new life and new opportunities and a chance to make up for our past therefore we should embrace the new year and the goodies it brings.
Having a wilderness mentality is really bad and it pains God so much when we have it especially when he really wants to bless us. Thank you MA for sharing .
This is so true. I believe regular evaluation of one’s life , helps one make better use of the time one has left. The pain of preparation will still be preferred to the pain of regret .