A new year often begins with energy, expectation, and big resolutions. There is momentum in January, a sense that everything is possible. But by the time February arrives, reality settles in. Routines return. Life resumes. And that first excitement can quietly fade. So what does one do “when the new year excitement fades?”
I am learning that this fade does not mean failure. It means life.
What God has been teaching me in these moments is the beauty and the challenge of surrender. The closer I draw to Him, the more I find myself asking a different question. Not, what do I want to achieve this season, but, Lord, how do You want me to be in this season?
The Discomfort of Surrender
Sometimes God repositions us in ways we did not plan. That process can feel confusing, unsettling, and deeply uncomfortable. Yet this is often how He works.
Surrender does not mean everything becomes easy. In fact, surrender is usually very uncomfortable. It stretches us. It exposes the places where we want control. It invites us to trust beyond what feels safe.
I am still learning. I am still growing. And I am still opening my heart to what full surrender looks like in my own life.
There are moments when God asks us to do things that stretch us emotionally. Things that bring peace, light, or love to others, even when it costs us something internally. Sometimes, He asks us to act in ways that go against what we personally believe is right or comfortable. And yet, He has a way of holding us together in the process.
Peace Beyond Understanding
God promises a peace that does not make sense on paper. A peace that goes beyond understanding.
As Scripture reminds us in Philippians 4:7 (NKJV),
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
This peace does not come from having everything figured out. It comes from trusting the One who does.
A New Season Requires New Listening
So my encouragement for this season is simple. Do not only make New Year’s resolutions. Please note I’m not saying you can’t make resolutions, I’m simply advocating for an extra step: Seek God’s direction.
Ask Him to realign you. Ask Him to reposition you. Every new year is a new season, and every season is a new chapter. We have to be willing to let go of control and listen. It is one of the hardest things to do, but it is possible.
For me, this is a season of listening. And it should be a listening season for all of us. A season of trust. A season of obedience. A season of believing that what we face now is not the end.
God’s promises over our lives remain.
My prayer for this year is that you find peace for the moments that feel heavy, clarity for the decisions ahead, and courage for every season you will walk through.
Happy New Year.
May God’s grace carry you gently into what lies ahead.
Reflection Prompt
Where has the excitement faded in your life, and what might God be inviting you to surrender in this season? Take time this week to listen rather than rush to act.
