God declares, “Behold, I make all things new,” and Scripture tells us that we are a new creation in Christ. Yet the actual work of renewing ourselves—of stepping into purpose, healing, growth, and change—is hard. So hard, in fact, that many of us never quite get started. We set New Year’s resolutions with the best intentions, but most of us don’t even make it past January before those declarations fade.
Still, self-improvement can be meaningful. It can truly shape our wellbeing and deepen our walk with God. So what do we do when change feels overwhelming?
I’ve spent decades working on my own growth and wellbeing. Some changes have taken root; others slipped away. I’m someone who likes to begin a new year with intention—clear goals, renewed focus, and a sense of direction. I don’t really make “resolutions,” but I do make adjustments. I check my course. I realign. And most importantly, I lean in close to God’s guidance. That has been the real game changer.
I try to stay connected to God’s leading all year long, but there’s something about January 1st that reenergizes me. Maybe it’s the blank calendar pages or the sense of possibility. Maybe it’s simply the reminder that God is constantly doing a new thing in us, even when we don’t see it immediately.
15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5: 15-17 NIV).
In many ways, I can look back and clearly see how God has made all things new within me. I’m definitely a better, healthier, more grounded version of myself than I was even five years ago.
And that gives me hope—not in resolutions, but in renewal. Not in January 1st, but in God’s steady, transformative work, day by day.
How has God made all things new within you? Share your story here and breathe life and bring hope to others.