Joy for the Journey

It is 31^st December 2024! Tomorrow will be a New Year and a new journey is about to begin.

Do you know where you want 2025 to take you? Do you know how you will get there? Do you know why you want to go there? Do you anticipate any road blocks you will need to navigate on your journey? How can you prepare for them? Have you established the route?

Not everyone has an idea of where they would like their life to be in the next year. Some just go with the flow and see what comes along. For some the end of one year just seems to flow into the next year like nothing has changed.

No matter what we perceive the next year to look like, we can all reflect on 2024 and make choices about what we take with us into the New Year.

What essential things do you think you will need, what things may you choose to leave behind and what new things may you need to acquire to help you on your journey?

Do you find that when you go on a journey and take a bag with you, sometimes you take too many things in the bag and it becomes too heavy for you to carry. Do you also find that there is not enough room to pick anything up on your journey because your bag is full? I have now learnt that it is much better not to fill my bag and so to always leave some space for new things.

So, imagine your bag is your life. Think about the events, experiences, relationships etc that have taken place in 2024 and are currently in your bag. Some of these things will be positive things but some of them may be negative. If you choose to carry them all with you into the New Year this will leave very little room for new experiences and may feel as though you are carrying your whole life on your back.

Less is more! It is time to reflect on 2024 and leave some things out of the bag. Things like failures, disappointments, regrets, and unreconciled relationships.

The bag (your life) now has room for new relationships and experiences etc to compliment and support you on your new journey.

So, what will be in your bag?

What will you leave behind?

Where are you going?

What does it look like?

Who will be your travelling companions?

You may now be thinking to yourself, “I don’t know where I am going and I can’t imagine what it could look like because for me the New Year is filled with worries, anxieties and fear.”

You may feel like you do not belong anywhere or fit in anywhere and that everyone else are in their friendship bubbles and you feel lost and alone.

I have felt like this at times and even now although I have many friends I often retreat and spend time alone at home reflecting and seeking meaning and purpose for my life.

There are three things that I have discovered through my faith journey with God.

Identity, Purpose and Calling

I was once alienated to God but I am now reconciled to Him through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I am invited to partner with God in His work in the world – reconciling everything and everyone to Himself. In the book of Revelation, Jesus declares, “Behold, I am making all things new!” (Revelation 21:5). I can think of no greater, more glorious, or exciting calling than being at work with God in the world in His work of reconciliation, restoration, and re-creation!

This invitation from God is for all people everywhere. You are also invited to partner with God in His work in the world through declaration of faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

God has forgiven us our sins so that we do not need to drag yesterday’s failures and regrets into today, tomorrow or the future. The future is in God’s hands, so we do not need to waste energy on worrying about it. God has released us to enjoy the day and New Year in front of us without any distractions.

One thing I always keep in my bag (my life) is Joy.

J – for Jesus (Jesus is always with us and ready to help in times of need, just pray and ask)

O – for Others (When we are in need find ‘Others’ who need help and help them. This changes our perspective of our own problems)

Y – for Yourself (Love yourself and take care of yourself so that you will be able to love and care for others)

Happy New Journey!

God bless!