Gardenias in my garden

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”

                                                                                                      Isaiah 40:31

That is one of my two favorite Bible verses. It reminds me that life is filled with valleys as well as mountains; defeats and disappointments and well as triumph and joy. 

It also reminds me that God didn’t create a robot who would remain unchanged through any circumstance. He created man in His own image, capable of great love and joy, but also capable of despair and tears. The assurance in Isaiah is that God is always with us. For those who believe, He will provide exactly what we need to get through any situation. Sometimes that’s only walking without fainting, but it’s always enough. 

This is the time of year when most of us reflect on the past year and tell ourselves we’re going to do better next year.  We let the calendar dictate a fresh start.  By February or March, all our good intentions are forgotten. We’ve broken half our resolutions and feel guilty. 

The remarkable thing about new beginnings is that life gives us the opportunity to start afresh throughout the year. If we learn from every experience and lean on God, we make decisions to leave a stressful job and find a new one, to take care of our mental and emotional health as well as our physical health, to walk away from a toxic relationship, and so much more.

During these times, we know God is with us, providing strength to endure, because we’re leaning on Him. But He also tells us how to leave the old behind and start anew.

“No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise, he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.”

                                                                                              Revelation 21:5

A new beginning is exactly that. Leave the old behind. Shake the dust off your feet and walk away with your faith unshaken, your self-esteem and your character intact, and your heart willed with hope and the knowledge that the Lord God Almighty, the Wonderful Counselor is walking with you. 

God is good.

Peggy Webb