The end of another year. The only constant in our lives is nothing stays the same.

In the natural world, we see this truth reflected all around us. The end of winter gives way to the beginning of spring, where new life bursts forth from the dormant earth. The setting sun marks the end of the day, but it also heralds the beginning of a new dawn.

Seasons aren’t just for the weather.

When we face an ending, it’s natural to experience a range of emotions. We may feel sadness, fear, or even anger. But in the midst of these emotions, we have an opportunity to learn and grow.

Endings can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves, about others, and about the world around us. They can help us to clarify our priorities, to let go of what no longer serves us, and to make space for something new and meaningful to take root in our lives.

Sometimes it is hard to let go of a season, but you can’t get to your new beginning until you have an ending.

As we navigate endings and the emotions they bring, we can also look forward to the promise of new beginnings.

New beginnings bring with them the potential for growth, for change, and for the fulfillment of our deepest hopes and dreams. They invite us to embrace the unknown with courage and faith, knowing that even though the path ahead may be uncertain, it is also filled with possibility and opportunity.

In the Christian faith, we find the ultimate example of how endings bring new beginnings in the story of Jesus Christ. His crucifixion marked the end of his earthly life, but it also paved the way for the beginning of a new era of hope, redemption, and eternal life for all who believe in Him.

His resurrection serves as a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, God is at work, bringing new life out of what seems like an ending.

Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also. Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.” So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace. —2 Kings 7:3-11 | NIV

Here is how we launch into our new beginnings:

1. Think About The Future
   
   • Have a vision for your future
     

     When there’s no vision, the people get out of control. —‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭18‬ ‭| CEB‬‬

   • Another translation reads “people live unrestrained or run wild.”
   • You will steer where you stare.
   • Apathy is a sign of no vision.
   • God is wanting to do great things, not just in you, but also great things through you. You have to see it. This is vision.

2. Turn The Page

   Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. —Isaiah 43:18-19 | NIV

   • A new chapter can’t begin until an old chapter ends.
   • Stop putting a comma where there should be a period.
     

     Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. —‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭21‬-‭24‬ ‭| NLT‬‬

   • “I may not be who I want to be, but thank God I am not who I used to be.”

3. Take The Step
   
   • No movement = no advancement
   • The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.
     

     “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” —Martin Luther King, Jr

   • The breakthrough and miracles are outside the comfort zone.
   • The biggest change happens when we commit ourselves to the ABCs:
     
     • Attend Weekly
     • Belong to a Life Group (Circle Up)
     • Commit to Serving on a Team
   • For some of you in here your word for the year is “consistency.”

May we have the wisdom to learn from our endings, the courage to embrace new beginnings, and the faith to trust that God is always working to bring about something beautiful in our lives.