A Clean Slate...
“ Behold, I am making all things new.”
It’s a brand new year.
However, nothing might actually feel new. We’re in the weird stretch of time where we know the year has just begun but, enough time has passed that it doesn’t necessarily feel new anymore. Most of us have returned to our normal lives, having only the memories of the holiday season to hold on to. We're left with the same everyday routine, in the same places, with the same people.
But what if God is insisting that He is making all things new? Would you believe Him? Would you be willing to let go of what was?
I urge you to lean in and listen to what God is saying…
The Story
I have a dry-erase calendar board I use to keep track of my schedule and all of my upcoming events. Two weeks ago, I completely erased the board, wiping away all of the residue of December and the final moments of 2023. Naturally, as the dates shifted, I knew it was time to expect something new.
Unfortunately, it took me a week to actually fill in the board (lol, don’t judge me). For days it seemed as if every time I looked in the direction of the board, I was reminded that the task was incomplete. Then something peculiar began to happen. Whenever I glanced at the board, I would hear a gentle whisper in my spirit, “A clean slate.” That simple sentence was accompanied by an overwhelming sense of peace.
Initially, I didn’t pay much attention to it. However, a few days later I opened my physical planner book and heard the words again. Shortly afterward, I realized my planner book and dry-erase calendar had one thing in common, they were both empty. Neither of them had been filled with any important dates or plans. In other words, they were blank slates.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I AM doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I AM making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Friend, God is a redeemer. He redeems time, hearts, love, opportunities, and perhaps the most beautiful part: He redeems people. This encounter made it evident that God was speaking to me. Perhaps, He is speaking to you as well.
Whether you accomplished everything you set out to do in 2023 or accomplished little to nothing at all, whether you experienced your lowest low or it was a barrier-breaking year, God is saying, "You have been given a blank slate". That, my friend, is a message of hope. Please understand that this is true for you whether or not you can see the signs of newness. Your routines, habits, environment, and overall day-to-day life may still appear the same but, be expectant. It is only a matter of time before you see the physical manifestation of God’s spiritual proclamation over this season.
As we barrel into the 12 months ahead of us, we must let go of what has happened before, whether good or bad. There is no room for old mindsets. There is no time to look back. We must do this to truly step into and experience what God has prepared ahead of us: the new thing. In this year, where the Lord has promised to restore what was lost, we must shift our focus, and expectations, and be willing to let go of what was. We must tap into what the Lord is saying and step onto the unique path God has laid before us for 2024. I assure you it will be miraculous.
It’s time to rethink what you formerly believed was impossible. It’s time to let go of the failures and successes of the past. It’s time to ditch the old.
God is doing a new thing and it's going to be soooo good.
