Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— Ps. 103:2

A Hum Bug about New Years
I am generally a “hum bug” about New Years.  I am not sure why but I am. Maybe it is because time seems to be flying by and each year I think I will not accomplish what I should or what I want to do. I fear I will not fulfill my purpose(s) in life.

There have been times when I have dutifully examined the old year and set out goals and plans for the new. Yet in the end I felt that I came up short. I didn’t meet the goals. I didn’t fulfill what I thought was my purpose.

A Change of Focus
But recently I have tried to switch the focus from me, myself and my self constructed world to God and His realm, His kingdom.  I have begun looking for Him and His handiwork and presence throughout my days. And I have seen it, yes, I have seen His working in the good and the difficult situations and feelings in my life.

So, this New Years, I am not full of consternation and regret but of joy-not the bring out the party hats and toot the horns joy, but a deep inner peace and contentment. Sure, I failed to do some things I thought I should. Sure, I have had my share of sadness, and challenges in my character and relationships. But I have seen God working, giving me patience, humility, grace, courage to speak, and ways to serve and help others.

So this year I am spending New Year’s Eve and day with specific time to praise God. Praising God and His Son Jesus will be my focus not just on this day, but it will be my theme for this year.

Praise Truths about God
The pages of scripture reveal the character and nature of God. As I read these words I begin to see a God I can trust and who is worthy of praise. These truths about God help me understand what my life is about and help me during the challenging times and feelings. I praise God for His love, faithfulness, mercy, goodness, power and more.

Here are a few that help me:
God is good. This is a truth. He cannot act against His nature. He is good and has good intentions towards me. So, this year when life does not seem so good and I am wondering about God’s part in it, I will choose to believe that God is good and has good intentions towards me no matter what things around me look like or feel like.
• Psalm 145:9 – The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
Psalm 100:5 – For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness   continues to each generation.

God is faithful. He is always there. He is reliable, even when you feel you have nothing to stand on, He is there.
• Lamentations 3:22-23– The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

God is personally involved in your life. God is always working on my behalf even when I do not feel it. He is intricately involves in my life. God is not the author of bad things in my life, but when bad things happen, I know He knows and is helping me.
• Psalm 56:8– You keep track of all my sorrows.You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
• Psalm 139:16-You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

These are but a few truths about God that I will hold unto and praise Him for in the New Year.

Make a collection of truths about God and use them to encourage you and to praise God as you go through this next year