The New Year is known to be a time of fresh beginnings. With the start of a New Year, many of us are in need of support, encouragement, and love. God can answer all of our needs, yet we have to turn to Him and be open to listening to Him through His Word. The main way we hear from God in the modern day is through His Scripture, the Bible.
Let's look at six verses from the Bible to start the New Year strong:
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1. 2 Timothy 1:7
One of the verses to start the New Year is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” This verse of Scripture helps to give us motivation, strength, and encouragement. During the start of a New Year, fear may creep into our minds, yet 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that the Holy Spirit has given us power, love, and self-discipline. It can be easy to grow timid and fearful, but God wants us to rely on the Holy Spirit, and He will lift the fears from our hearts as we press into a new season.
Power, love, and self-discipline are three things that we all need in our lives. As Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, we are given these spiritual tools because of the Holy Spirit in us. No matter what you have to do this year—these three componenets of power, love, and self-discipline—can help you achieve any goal you set your heart upon. Whether your resolution is reading more of the Bible, getting to know God better, or trying to save financially, each of these gifts from the Holy Spirit can help you. God wants to help us and give us strength, which He does through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If you need a verse this year to help through difficult times, 2 Timothy 1:7 can help remind you of the power, love, and self-discipline that God gives us through His Spirit.
2. Psalm 30:11
A second verse to start the New Year is Psalm 30:11, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” This is a great verse to start the New Year, especially for those who struggle with deep sorrow and depression or are in a season of too many unknowns. This verse from the Book of Psalms reminds us of the truth that God will turn our sadness into dancing, and He will remove our sorrow and replace it with unspeakable joy. For those who have lost loved ones or those who are going through a difficult season with transitioning into the New Year, Psalm 30:11 can help fill our hearts with hope.
God is always with us, and He will never leave us. That doesn't mean we will always feel God's presence but that, through faith, we can trust in His steadfast, loyal nature. Even in hard times, when we can't feel anything, we can know that He is sitting alongside us. Though our tears will come, God sees all of them, and He doesn’t forget one of them. He knows our pain, sadness, and sorrow. In time, God will turn our sorrow into joy. Even if our joy doesn’t come in this lifetime, we know we have the promise of eternal life with God in Heaven. One day, we will no longer have any sorrow, pain, or death, and we will live with God forever (Revelation 21:4). If you are feeling crestfallen with the upcoming New Year, try to meditate on Psalm 30:11 and let it soothe your heart.
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3. Psalm 34:4
A third verse to start the New Year is Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” This verse is a special verse to me because it has helped me greatly throughout the years. When I first became a believer, this verse really caught my eye and has been one of my favorites ever since. As this verse tells us, when we seek out God, He answers our prayers, and He will deliver us from all of our fears. We don’t need to be afraid because God is always with us, and He will give us deliverance.
If you are particularly fearful of the upcoming year, Psalm 34:4 can be a great verse to keep with you, memorize, and meditate on. Maybe this year, you have to start college, start a new job, or are moving out for the first time. Each of these new changes can bring fear into our hearts. Whenever you become frightened or worried, turn to Psalm 34:4 and rest in the peace of God’s kind and comforting words.
4. John 16:33
A fourth Bible verse to start the New Year is John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” These words are the actual words of Jesus when He is speaking with His disciples. As this verse tells us, in this world, we will have trouble, but we can take heart because Jesus has already overcome the world. At times, it can feel as though the world is drowning us out with all of its sins and temptations, yet we can trust in the Lord because He has already overcome the world.
If you are in need of peace for the New Year, reflect on John 16:33 and rest in the Lord’s words. It can be hard to find peace in the world, yet Jesus gives us His peace every day. His love, mercy, and peace are never far from any of us. We can rest in the peace of Christ because He has already overcome the world. Everything in the world, including sin, temptation, and death have already been overcome by the Lord. May this truth give your heart peace for the upcoming year.
5. Philippians 4:13
A fifth Bible verse to start the New Year is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” This is another verse that is very close to my heart. Sadly, this verse often gets a great deal of hate, yet it is actually a verse that should inspire us. While this verse doesn’t refer to sport-related success, as it is often associated with, it does mean that we can do all things through Christ. The Lord strengthens us each day to extend kindness, love, and support to others. He also strengthens us with His power to make it through each day.
We can’t do anything without God’s help. Through Philippians 4:13, we are reminded of God’s strength and power through us. The Lord gives us strength, and through His strength, we can do great things for Him. He enables us to have the bravery to share the Gospel, live for Him, and do the right thing even though it is hard. When we trust in God, He can do amazing things through us to help others know about Him.
6. Matthew 11:28
A sixth Bible verse to start the New Year is Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This is a great verse to start the New Year because it helps us to remember to turn to Christ, and He will give us rest. Most of us are weary and burdened, especially after the holidays, yet we can still turn to God and He will give us rest. Many things in our lives can cause us to grow weary and burdened, such as difficult relationships, our jobs, or health concerns.
Even though many things cause us great difficulties, God is always with us and is ready to lift us up. God knows we get tired and weary from the world, and He is always ready to comfort us. Nothing is too big or too scary for God to handle. Any time you feel weary or burned, turn to the Lord and He will give you rest. We all need rest, not only physically, but also spiritually and mentally. The Lord will lift us up and give us rest, even through the difficult seasons of life.
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Originally published Monday, 05 December 2022.
