How shall we think about what is coming in this new year? If we could see into the future, even one day or one hour, we could become immensely wealthy by perfectly timing our investments in the stock markets or be assured that all our bets would win. Yet, seeing into the future could be frightening, filling me with anxiety about what will certainly happen to me or my loved ones. But God has not given us foreknowledge except in the things He has revealed to us:

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law. (Deut. 29:29)

We have revealed truth in the Scripture that gives us hope for a great year ahead and an assurance of God’s help to face the trials that may come.

This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 118:24)

If we take one day at a time, we can be assured that whatever happens today, tomorrow and every day in this coming year is carefully designed by our sovereign, loving, heavenly Father. God’s hand in our future is the hand that will lead us.

For some, time marches on, monotonous or with never-ending trials, but the Lord’s timing is quantumly different from our time experience.

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

To a child, one day is an eternity; to others, unrelenting physical or emotional pain for a year is an eternity. But to God, an eon of time is like one day or one year. And vice versa. Our faith anchors our time to God as we live one day at a time. Jesus, who is “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8), instructed us:

“Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt 6:34)

We endure living in this fallen world, even though we hope He returns soon, as the apostle John, in his old age, pleaded:

“Yes, I [Jesus] am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Rev. 22:20)

Why does the Lord delay and seem not to come quickly? Because His timing and purposes are different from ours. We all want relief from the ravages of this fallen world, but God wants to save more people from eternal destruction, and His timing for doing that will not be cut short:

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Pe 3:8–9)

Where does this leave us, then? We must view this year ahead with this narrative: God has left us here for a purpose. And even though last year is now old, we are not old, regardless of our physical, earthly age. As the Scripture has revealed to us:

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Cor. 5:17)

We are new in Christ and handle life’s challenges differently than non-believers in the world. Our commitment is to begin this new year continuing to walk in the newness of life God has given us, like putting on a new set of clothes:

¹⁰…  put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him …

¹² … put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; ¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

¹⁴Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Col. 3:10-17)