When a new year starts, many people have high hopes for it and begin their expectations hoping that the new year will bring the achievements and plans they hope to fulfil.

Or as the new year approaches, some people may feel that they haven't accomplished much or received what they wanted or planned in the last year or previous years. Or some may have had bad experiences, disappointments, heartbreaks or feel burdened with guilt from mistakes made. Some people don't know what they want to do with their lives, or feel let down and may get disheartened, discouraged or grow impatient and feel like giving up. But God doesn't ever want us to give up. He wants to give us hope and encouragement to keep working at our faith and steps to fulfil our purpose.

Whether its a new year or new day, its what the Lord has made especially for us, and we should rejoice in it and always welcome and embrace it positively.

God wants us to keep moving forward, focus on the future he has for us and continue to be expectant.

Holding on to negative experiences, past mistakes and failures stop us from moving forward.

Isaiah 43:18 says we should 'Forget the former things and stop dwelling on the past.' Even yesterday is the past. God doesn't hold on to our past and neither should we.

God takes away our pain, sorrow, guilt, failures and everything negative that has happened and trades it with peace and joy.

He also provides restoration and gives us many chances to start afresh and leave negative things behind us.

We have a future in store for us, and our past is not included in it.

Whatever we desire or need, or blessings we want from God, we should keep commiting it to Him.

Proverbs 16:3 says that we should commit our all ways to the Lord and whatever we do, and our plans will succeed.

God promises He will fulfil our plans and future. And His promises are sure and reliable and its impossible for God to lie! (Hebrews 6:18)

So when he promises us a hope and future and eternal blessings, he is faithful to complete it because he already started it from when we were born in his vow to us.

Hebrews 6:18-19 explains that the 2 things which are unchangeable are God's vows and His promises!

So we should never be discouraged. We can rest assured in His promise to encourage us and trust in God who is the anchor who holds our hope.

God never let us down! Numbers 23:19 says that 'God is not like a man that he should lie or change his mind... Does he promise and not fulfil?'

So no matter what we do, what we go through or what happens in our lives, God will never forget us, because has even engraved us on the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:16). He will act and fulfil our purpose and his promise in our lives.

But it requires faith and patience. Patience is the bridge which holds up our faith. Abraham waited patiently and with that he 'received what was promised.' (Hebrews 6:15)

The problems start when we get impatient. We shouldn't be discouraged or lose hope if we might not have gotten what we asked for this year or maybe last year too. It doesn't mean we won't get it, but we need to wait on God, on his timing and not ours.

Sometimes God even wants us to concentrate on the other areas of our lives where he is blessing us. But we may get pre-occupied asking for other things that we may not notice.

We need to remember that in every circumstance we must give thanks. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Whatever you're asking for, that job, promotion, change in career, house, marriage, family, success... keep committing it to God. He has promised to bring it all to pass and we will soon receive everything God has promised us and fulfil our purpose. We need to trust and believe it and remain faithful.

Esther ♥