Dear Brooklyn Church Family,
A New Year You Can Actually Live
Every January, we do the same thing. We come out of the holidays and say, “Okay… this year I’m going to do better.” New Year’s resolutions are a big deal. They can feel almost like a yearly promise, “If I try hard enough, I can fix my life.”
But many of us know that life is not that simple.
For a lot of us, January starts with doctor visits already on the calendar. We take our pills. We deal with sore knees, stiff backs, and low energy. Some of us are caring for a spouse or a family member. Some of us are still carrying grief. Some days feel lonely and quiet. And even on good days, we know we don’t have the same strength, time, or control we had years ago.
So this year, I want to ask a different question. Not, “What should I fix?” But, “What kind of life can I live with what I have right now?”
We can’t do everything. We can’t be everywhere. We can’t carry every need. And we won’t get to every good thing we wish we could. That sounds sad until we remember this: God never asked us to live like we are machines.
So what if your New Year “resolution” is not a big project? What if it’s just a small step you can really do?
I’ve been thinking about something I will call small, real choices. That means saying, “I can’t control everything… but I can choose one thing today.”
• What can I stop trying to do perfectly?
• What am I holding that I need to give to God?
• What is one small good thing I can do this week?
Maybe it is a short walk. Maybe it is calling a friend. Maybe it is writing down three things you are thankful for. Maybe it is coming to worship and letting others sing for you when you feel tired. Maybe it is a one-sentence prayer: “Lord, help me today.”
God is not waiting for the “perfect you.” God meets you right here today, in the life you actually have. And that is enough to begin again.
May God meet you right where you are today,
give you wisdom for what is yours to do,
and peace to let go of what you cannot control.
May God lead you in small, real steps of faith this year,
and hold you steady in love every day. Amen.
Blessings,
Jinkyoung You