A new year offers a God-given invitation to renewal, hope, and spiritual refreshment rooted in His design for seasons and fresh starts. Anchored in Romans 15:13, this devotional reminds us that God weaves renewal into creation itself—daily, weekly, and yearly—so we can release the past, trust His mercy, and move forward with joy, peace, and confident hope through the Holy Spirit.

Highlights

• God designed rhythms of renewal through days, weeks, and seasons for our good.

• Fresh starts are woven into creation, pointing us toward spiritual restoration.

• The cross of Christ stands as the ultimate picture of death giving way to new life.

• God removes our sin completely, offering freedom from past failures.

• His mercies are new every morning, inviting renewed hope each day and year.

• The turning of the calendar is an opportunity to trust God with what’s ahead.

• God is still writing your story—renewal is not behind you, it’s ongoing.

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Full Transcript Below:

Seizing the Opportunity to Refresh This New Year
By Megan J. Conner

Bible Reading:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13 (NIV)

All of the hustle and bustle of the holidays has come to a close.  Decorations have been stored away, regular schedules have resumed, and the inevitable and likely necessary (at least for me) annual recommitment to diet and exercise has been enacted.  Another new year is upon us. 

For some, the reset of the calendar feels like a fresh start, a blank slate. For others, it might draw out feelings of uncertainty about the unknown ahead. How do you view the renewal of another twelve months? Do you greet a new year with apprehension or anticipation? 

If we look closely, the framework of refreshing and renewal through time and seasons is evident throughout the Word of God. From the very beginning, we learn that God made day and night. Within each 24-hour period, there is a time for work and time to rest before the cycle begins again. The Lord also established weekly sequences with days assigned to toil and a call to reset on the Sabbath. Monthly and yearly periods are connected to new moons and seasons of sowing and harvesting. The list goes on and on…

We can also observe the ultimate example of death and rebirth, exemplified th