New Year's Encouragement for Momsنموونە

Jesus Makes All Things New!  

by Deb Weakly 

New beginnings. Fresh starts. Clean slates. New Year, new you. Oh, how we all long for the New Year to bring changes to our lives, especially in the places of our hearts where pain resides. We look to the next 365 days in hopes that God will bring the needed change, right the wrongs, and heal the wounds.

There is a longing in all of us to change certain areas of our lives, and we desperately need Jesus to intervene and restore our hearts. We pray the same prayers over and over and cry out to God for His help and answers, but still, we must wait. We wait, and we wait, and we wait… 

Are you like me and waiting on God for some unanswered prayer, a yearning deep within your heart? 

Over the years, God has taught me to rest where He has placed me, even though I may not like the place in which I reside. I am learning that the key to maintaining my joy during the waiting season is to remember that my God is good, and He goes to great lengths to show me His love each and every day. Oh, if I would but notice His goodness and little gifts to me as I wait, I would maintain my joy and not allow myself to feel hopeless. I may not be getting what I want, but if I look closely enough, I can still see His good hand in my life orchestrating for me the sweet symphony of His love. I have learned that the waiting seasons of our lives can truly be sweet. We may even enjoy a blessed time of fellowship with our Lord as we wait. When we wait, we wait in hope. Jesus hears every prayer and holds every one of our tears close to His heart.

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT).

Only God can do that! The maker of the heavens and the earth holds every tear we cry. He knows every longing and fills every empty place with His great love. He also brings great things to those who wait. Indeed, He makes all things new in time! If we would but give up our sorrows and our longings to Him, trusting that He heals and brings hope in His perfect timing, our hearts would feel encouraged. We may feel all is lost, but be assured the opposite is true! The Almighty God has His great plans, and everything happens in His perfect timing. 

In my life, I have had a deep longing for the Lord to heal my heart from the loss of my mom emotionally at the tender age of 10 and physically at the age of 20. I know I still have issues that make it challenging for me to move forward in certain areas of my life, but I am so grateful for the hope that Jesus brings. 

He has cared for me over and over and has been a mom to me in every season of my life: He was there when I planned our wedding, during the birth and raising of our children, and even now in the empty-nest season of my life. Jesus has never left me and has heard every plea of my heart. He truly has been with me every step of the way and orchestrated a completely different life for me, which has far surpassed my expectations! He is so good! 

Dear sister, if you feel lost as the New Year approaches because of unmet expectations, a troubled child, a crumbling marriage, mountains of debt, or simply a feeling of being far away from God, take heart; our God has new things in store for you! He is the Master of miracles and loves to surprise His children as they wait in faith, resting in His loving care. 

No matter what your thoughts may tell you, the truth is that God wants to make all things new in your life. You may feel sorrow from loss or hurt right now. You may find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, wondering how this upsetting situation could have overtaken your life and asking God over and over, “Why did this have to happen?” Be assured that your God is in the habit of making all things new and has your miracle on its way! 

If you find yourself faced with unanswered prayers, pray and ask God to help you give up control and relinquish your life completely to Him. The quickest way to see God at work in your life is to simply rest where He has you and continue praying in faith. Giving up our expectations releases the grace of God and opens our eyes to see all of the ways He cares for us. Don’t ever give up! 

Remember, that is why our precious baby Jesus came—to right the wrongs, overcome the devil, and offer us a new life, one filled with His hope and mercy!  

 “You have a great God who loves you and cares about you. Be full of hope that something good can happen to you. God is a master at new beginnings. He loves fresh beginnings. He makes all things new.” ~ Joyce Meyer