New year, new me! Well— not really. It has a good ring to it, but unfortunately nothing magical happens when the clock strikes midnight and a new calendar rolls in. Way to keep the devotional introduction positive right!? Truth is, achieving a better, upgraded, leveled-up version of you requires lots of intentionality. As a matter of fact, there’s hardly any exceptions to this rule. Your relationship with God, your biblical literacy, the development of the gifts the Lord has given you— none of it grows without you being intentional. But here’s the good news: you have a helper who is excitedly waiting to lead you and guide you to a “new you”!
John 14:26
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.
Now if you’re like me, beginnings can feel a bit overwhelming. There’s nothing worse than staring at a project’s extensive task list and not knowing where to start. In this last year, I’ve put more furniture together than I have in my entire life, and I’ve gotta say, that’s just one more reminder of why I could never be Jesus. Carpentry is not in my repertoire of skills. I’m praying for a year free of shelf or bed assemblies! You know, it would help if I at least fit in some of the stuff I put together, but apparently it’s all for the cute, little baby living in our house now! All that to say, it’s easy to feel defeated when you realize that the undertaking you have bravely accepted is coming to a screeching halt because you don’t have the tools to get past the first step. So this year, as you aim to become a better version of yourself, start with what matters. Focus on the tools that’ll truly help you chip away at the project at hand. Perhaps one of the most important things we can ask God for as a new year begins is for Him to examine our hearts.
Psalms 139:23-24
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Let our prayer be, “See me for who I truly am God. Remove the parts of me you disapprove of and replace them with what You desire”. There’s no better canvas for God to lavish with paint and beauty than one that has been made clean and white as snow.
Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
I believe the Lord desires to mold your character this year, so surrender every aspect of it to God. Lay every passion, desire, and personality trait, both good and bad, at our Father’s feet because there is no better version of you than the one that reflects the heart of Jesus. Allow Him to infiltrate even the smallest and most hidden parts of your heart and you’ll see your life head in such a clear direction. The God-centered, Holy Spirit fueled version of you can not coincide with a you-centered heart. After all, you can’t expect healthy fruit from an unhealthy branch. The desires and plans God has for your life begin and end with whether or not he has all of your heart! Let that be all of our starting points today.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Engagement: Take some time to put pen to paper– or thumbs to phone– and write out the things you’d like to surrender to God. Make a physical list you can scowl and look at, and know that those things hold no power over you the moment you claim the blood of Jesus! You may be entering this new year with too much space in your heart available for relational tensions, sinful desires, self-aggrandizing aspirations, and so on and so forth. Start at step one, turn the entirety of your heart over to God, and allow Him to build from there. Once you're done making that list, pray over each every one of those things, believing for God to remove them once and for all through His goodness and power. In the Name of Jesus, this is the year where everything that flows out of you is saturated with the presence of God! That is the desire of my heart for each and every one of us.
Erick Aguilar
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