Hope Writer Writing Challenge Day 1: New You

"What's new with you?" a friend may ask you.  Going into 2021, it may not seem like we have a lot of new, exciting experiences happening since we are still wearing face masks, social distancing, and very limited on activities and events that are actually taking place in person these days.  In fact, many days feel like the movie "Groundhog Day" where we repeat the same routine over and over again.  However, God gives us a rhythm in our lives that provides a new start to each new day.  He designed our bodies to need a balance of rest and activity and He gave us night and day.  His Word says that His mercies are new every morning! I am thankful for His great mercy and that He gives me a fresh start each day!  

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."  This teaches me that His compassion for me is new each morning. What an incredible gift! God's mercy is faithful and never goes away.  

So, what is new about me?  Although I may not feel that different, I should look at what new thing God is doing through me.  What fruit of the Spirit is He wanting me to grow or produce?  What characteristic is He wanting me to develop more deeply?  What new person in my life does He want me to reach?  Even when it feels like my life has gotten boring, each new day can be an opportunity to do something new in me.  I don't really like change, but change may be refreshing when God is doing the changing.  

The verse above says that "I will wait for Him".   The next verse says, "The Lord is God to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him."  So, I will hope in Him and wait on God to show me what His newness is instead of trying to create my own.  God has infinite stores of ideas, energy, and creativity and He is doing so many more new things than I could ever dream of in a lifetime.  I will look to Him to lead me into something new and it might just be a change in myself.