by Annette Bridges. ©2009. All rights reserved.
The New Year is fast approaching. A Facebook friend recently commented, “I’ll be happy to see 2009 in my rearview mirror.” I suspect she is not the only one who feels this way.
Yet even though some may be ready for their year to end, others are having some trepidation about the New Year and the changes it promises.
New beginnings sometimes bring both an excitement and an uncertainty. And sometimes the uncertainty leads to fear that can thwart our forward momentum and progress.
Indeed, fear can freeze us in our tracks and stop us from making decisions and taking steps that are good for us. Perhaps we’re afraid of making the same mistakes we made last year. Or perhaps we’re simply not sure which next step is the best one to take. So we do nothing!
There’s a song that often comes to my mind when I think about making a new beginning. It’s based upon an Old Testament story. (Genesis Chapter 26)
Once upon a time Isaac and his wife Rebekah were forced to move several times. Moving in those days meant digging a new well of water each time in their new habitat. Again and again, they settled in a location where they were unwelcomed. And their “enemy” filled their well with dirt in an attempt to make them move.
And so they would. Isaac and his family would simply pick up camp and move to a new place and dig another well.
Paul Overstreet wrote a song about “Ike” — as he calls him — titled “Dig another well.” The chorus pretty much sums up his main point and why this song has often come to my mind when thinking about making a new start.
“So when the rains don’t fall and the crops all fail,
And the cows ain’t puttin’ any milk in the pail,
Don’t sit around waitin’ for a check in the mail,
Just pick up the shovel and dig another well,
Pick up the shovel and dig another well.”
The solution is pretty simple, my friends. So you need to start over somewhere? Things have not worked out where you are now? Don’t hesitate. Don’t sit around in dismay and disappointment. Don’t ruminate over what could have been. “Just pick up the shovel and dig another well.”
I love this advice, and there have been many times when I’ve had to give heed to it!
And here’s the good news. Every time Isaac’s servants dug a new well, they found water. And so will we all when we begin anew. There will always be new opportunities and possibilities available to us. New ideas and discoveries await everyone who takes on a new adventure.
Recognize that God’s wisdom and care is at work in your life. Affirm that God wants only good for His children. Acknowledge His presence and power as the guiding influence each day — each moment — of your life today and tomorrow.
Trust His direction to lead you to the perfect home, job, relationship. The promise of 2010 brings a happy anticipation. This is a time to rejoice. We can expect a better year.
So come on in New Year! We’re ready for you!