Happy New Year!
Another new year is coming again as usual. And we greet each other, saying “Happy New Year!” It includes our hope that we all may be blessed well and healthy in the new year. We wish happiness for all of us in the new year, but we can ask ourselves this, “Were we really happy in the past year?” Some people may answer yes, but actually, for many of us, it is hard to say yes. This is because something especially happy and good has not happened well in our reality. We spent the year 2022 normally or some of us have had hard time due to our economic situation, health issues, or family loss. We hoped for happiness and blessing, but it is hard to find in our life. And the same pattern may happen in this new year again. If so, is our greeting, “Happy New Year!” just meaningless wording for us?
I believe that we, as Christians, need a shift of our perspective on the happiness or blessing. What is real happiness? How can we understand the true blessing upon our life? The real happiness does not come from material wealth, social status, or physical health. Rather, we have to understand it in the relationship with God. That is to say, the real happiness of our life is only possible when we are in God and God is in us. There is no other blessing than knowing that God takes care of us, because God creates us, saves us, and leads us. Therefore, if we try to look for happiness in something other than God, we will surely fail to find it.
So, for a happy new year, we have to focus on our faith in God. Although we may experience some unexpected difficulties in our reality, we can rely on God and God will work for us through God’s people. It is a true blessing that God stands by our side. I hope we can all make the year 2023 a “Happy New Year” in our faithful journey.
“GOD, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.” – Psalm 23 (The Message)
Pastor Jinha Choi