The end of a year is a good time to take stock of things, a chance for us to reflect on all that has happened over the last twelve months. It can be a bittersweet time, as there are experiences and people that have moved into our past.
But the end also brings a new beginning. Typically, the New Year is a time for resolutions and fresh starts, for looking forward to the future, for reviewing what worked last year and aiming to build on that.
As we enter this new year, news of famine, strife, and disasters may seem to indicate that the world has never been in a worse shape or more divided. The future may seem bleak, and the challenges ahead daunting, but we don’t have to be discouraged.
Gandhi wasn’t deterred by obstacles and circumstances: “It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
With 2016 officially here, let’s all resolve to make our lives, and the lives of those around us, better. Let’s be a little more caring, a little more unselfish, a little more courteous. Let’s work smarter instead of longer. Let’s spend time with those we care about instead of with our latest app. Let’s give a little more to those who aren’t as fortunate as we are. Let’s forget past slights and let’s build bridges of friendship around us. Let’s learn from past mistakes.
And of course, the best way to ensure success is to include God in the process, step by step. Let’s ask Him to show us what changes will be most beneficial, and to give us the strength, patience, determination, and whatever else we need to succeed each day.