By Robert J. Tamasy
How has this year been for you? The greatest year ever? One in which many of your hopes and dreams were fulfilled? If so, congratulations! Or maybe it was just the opposite, the year that cannot end soon enough? The year when it seemed things could not get any worse – yet somehow, they did?
One of the best things about every new calendar year is the chance for a fresh start, a new beginning. If the previous year was a good one, we can draw from it, build on what we did well, and strive to make the new year even better. However, if the past year was one that we would rather forget, we can start afresh and claim a “do-over” – what golfers call a ‘mulligan’ – making necessary changes with the hope of having better experience and outcomes over the next 12 months.
Like the coach of an athletic team preparing for the next contest, we can look back and evaluate what went well, what went wrong, and what changes we can make in seeking improvement. Having the opportunity for a new start can be reassuring, exciting, motivating, even daunting.
For those of us striving to be “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) in the marketplace, being able to begin anew is a promise from God. In Isaiah 48:6, He declares, “…From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.” God was speaking specifically to His chosen people, the often rebellious, disobedient people of Israel, promising to forgive and restore them. But as followers of Jesus, we too can trust He will reveal, “new things…hidden things unknown to you.”
It starts with our commitment to Christ, being “born again” spiritually (John 3:3), and becoming “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Speaking through an Old Testament prophet, God promised, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
This spiritual transaction makes it possible for us to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), or as another translation states, “…now we also may live new lives.” We sometimes look back with regret, sorrowful over things we have said or done. Although we cannot erase what has taken place in the past, by trusting in this new life God has given we can overcome and avoid repeating the same mistakes – what the Bible calls “sins.”
The apostle Paul understood this. Writing toward the end of his life, knowing his bold, outspoken faith in Christ would soon lead to his execution, he said, “…one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Paul was not referring to the end of one calendar year and the start of another, but he grasped the danger of dwelling on days gone by and allowing things done in the past to affect the immediacy of the present and the potential for the future. As we confront the challenges of the marketplace, recognizing things we could and should have done differently or better, we would be wise to hold the same attitude.
We do not have to wait until the advent of a new year to start over and seek to correct past wrongs. However, when we wish one another “Happy New Year!” we can trust that through the Lord’s wisdom, guidance and strength, we can anticipate the year about to unfold will be better than the one that is about to conclude. All for the glory of God.
© 2025. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- How would you assess the year that is about to end? Was it a good one, not so good, or totally unforgettable? Explain your answer.
- Looking ahead to the new calendar year, what are some of your plans, goals, hopes and expectations? How does the anticipation of having a fresh start affect those for you?
- What are the positives – and the negatives – of looking back upon the past? In what ways can it be beneficial? In what ways can it create problems or be counterproductive? Can you think of any specific examples?
- The Bible speaks a lot about newness, new beginnings, and “becoming new.” What does that mean for you? Do you find that helpful and encouraging, or do you question whether that applies to your life and work in a practical way?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Isaiah 42:9, 43:19; Luke 5:37-39; Romans 7:6; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:2-24
Challenge for This Week
Are you feeling excited about the arrival of a new year? Try to take an opportunity to write down some things you have learned over the past year, along with things you would like to change or do differently in the coming year.
It might be helpful to discuss these things with a close friend, mentor, some trusted advisors or small group, inviting their comments and feedback.
