12 Keys To A Successful New Start
This blog post is just to say that I’m back with encouraging, inspiring, and challenging content to get you not just inspired and feeling giddy, but excited to grow in your walk with Christ. I am definitely feeling the nudge to work through these processes and embrace the inevitable changes happening in my life with joy and great expectation.
When the new year begins, we feel that we need to make changes in our lives, start on a new path, do new things, and say goodbye to old habits. While in large part this is true, life is also about remembering that in our journeys, every day is a new beginning. For example, we enter a new community, meet new people, and explore new opportunities. Exciting possibilities happen, and it opens us up to the realm of miraculous changes and transformation. One thing we rarely talk about when it comes to new beginnings is how often they follow painful endings. In this article, I’ll be sharing 12 ways to embrace a new start in 2024 to change your life in marvelous new ways. What can you focus your time and energy on to make positive progress and a new start in your life?
Pain signals change: Whenever there is pain, there is a need for change and transformation. Disorder brings discomfort which leads to pain. Whenever you notice things going wrong around your life, find out what needs to change. It’s easy to isolate yourself and hide from the rest of the world. But don’t stay down. After the pulling down, a restoration happens. Get back up!
Reflection 💎 : “Come now, let’s settle this, says the Lord.” Isaiah 1:18.
What you tolerate you won’t be able to change: anything that holds you captive keeps you in bondage. Mental, emotional, and physical barriers are limitations that keep people stuck. It could be an addiction, a lifestyle, a habit, an attitude, or a way of thinking. Learn to hate the chains of anything that enslaves you. If a person can rise and say “NO MORE!” or “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”, that becomes deliverance right there. You’ll never truly be free unless you learn to despise those chains.
Reflection 💎 : “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” John 8:36
Resist the enemy: The devil uses the same old trick of discouragement to attack Christians. He is your real adversary and introduces you to negative and unhelpful thoughts that could ultimately destroy your life and character. He reacts to the spoken Word of God. He is demoralized by the weapons of praise and prayer. He flees when you resist him. Pray and study the Word of God daily.
Reflection 💎 : “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12
Know your triggers: rebellion is punishable by God. Consider each seed of disobedience like a magnet attracting tragedies into your life. God is neither stupid nor blind. He sees all things, and sooner or later, reacts. When God releases wrath, He wants us to turn back to Him and live a righteous life, set apart. When you see an addict, you see someone who has lost the most precious things in life- their health, relationships or self-confidence. Drug addicts and alcoholics may want the taste of sin, but they certainly don’t want the feelings of guilt and shame thereafter. Unfortunately, they’ll never be free unless they learn to despise the urges, temptations, and triggers that keep them going after those habits and behaviors. A bad habit is hell’s greatest weapon in destroying your life. What you tolerate you won’t be able to change. Never complain about the things you are allowing to go wrong in your life.
God promises rewards for the obedient, but losses to the disobedient. He wants to identify you as different from those who are not of Him. God requires holiness because He is holy. He doesn’t want us associating ourselves with idols or other gods. Every loser can be a lesson to us.
Reflection 💎 : “For they hated knowledge, and chose not to fear the Lord. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.” Proverbs 1:29-31
Confess your sins and turn away from them: only an unwise person would attempt to deceive God. Your confession unlocks His mercy. Don’t try to justify yourself and don’t blame others for the wrong decisions you’ve made. Obey God and do it immediately.
Reflection 💎 : “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
Recognize your messengers: God assigns people into our lives, who are designed to bless us, heal us, or deliver us. God assigns deliverers to bring His children out of captivity. When the devil wants to distract and destroy you, he sends a person. When God wants to help you, He sends a person. God often speaks through the spiritual leaders in your life. Listen to them, don’t ignore them.
Reflection 💎 : “If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs.” Matthew 10:41
Expect a miraculous turn-around due to your obedience: even your worst circumstances are subject to change. God will destroy and build back up again. Nothing is permanent. Obedience is doing whatever God instructs you to do. God steps into the arena of your life and turns the tide in your favor. No more will He look at your sins when you leave the patterns of your ancestors and forefathers. You are never as far from a miracle as it first appears.
Reflection 💎 : “Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!.” Isaiah 40:4-5
Make today the best day of your life: Don’t be passive today. Life is a gift, so act like it, talk like it, and walk like it. Celebrate yourself and your achievements!
Reflection 💎 : “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Keep going: People often wonder if working a long time for something we desire is worth it. The most important goals and desires are worth working and waiting for. Movies and TV shows have created the illusion that people have to wait only about an hour to solve their problems or get what they want. Don’t be trapped into thinking the same is true in real life. Patience is hardest when we need it the most, but it is the key to achieving our goals.
Reflection 💎 : “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5
Discover your purpose: God made a solution for every problem. What kinds of problems are you solving for others? Your worth and significance are determined by the kinds of problems you are solving for someone. Get involved with the needs of others. Discover your purpose. Joseph used his gift of dream interpretation to calm a tormented Pharoah and was promoted from the prison to the palace.
Reflection 💎 : “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” Proverbs 3:27
Be aware of contentious people and abandon abusive friendships: there are 4 kinds of people in your life: those who add, subtract, divide, and multiply. A contentious person is a troublemaker. He spreads discontent, frustration, and distrust. He gossips, slanders, and promotes strife. Don’t feed a relationship with such people.
Reflection 💎 : “A quarrelsome person starts fights, as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.” Proverbs 26:21
Know God for yourself: People often want to know God only through their spiritual leaders. But God also wants an intimate relationship with all of his children. In these days, get to know God for yourself. Salvation has been made through Jesus Christ.
Reflection 
: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Which of these keys are you most looking forward to applying in your life to unlock the doors to new dreams, visions, and possibilities?
For more tips on spiritual growth and transformation, schedule a 1-on-1 consultation with me here.
**Erica weaves themes of transformative hope and grace-filled leadership into everything she shares on her blog. She’s an author, a speaker, and a life coach, who offers honest encouragement and road-tested wisdom about topics ranging from leadership and lifestyle, to discovering your God-crafted identity, design, and purpose.
This post is sponsored by: https://hype.co/@ericakenechi