Peace in the New Year

Last night, many of us, (myself included) stayed awake well into the night of New Year’s Eve in anticipation of December giving way to January. As soon as it struck midnight my brother and I celebrated with a toast (of course with sparkling juice) while fireworks sounded off in the distance.

One might conclude with all of the amazing firework displays, shouts, and cheers that often characterize the birth of the new year that feelings of happiness are ubiquitous. Although it might be the dominant mood of the night, it usually isn’t the only emotion we are feeling. We may send each other texts saying Happy New Year in all caps with extra exclamation marks for emphasis, but often we are feeling a range of emotions besides happiness—sometimes negative ones.

Some of us may experience feelings of grief, as we are reminded of people who we will continue into the new year without. This New Year’s Eve marked the fifth anniversary of my grandmother’s death and while I may not shed tears anymore, it still somewhat casts a shadow on the New Year, try as I might to not think about it.

For others, it might be the overwhelming uncertainty of the future. Whether it’s a question of whether school will remain in-person or what the outcome of a particular decision might be, there can be uneasiness as we contemplate the future.

Still, some of us may feel the fear of failure. We’re reminded of things we set out to accomplish last year, (and the year before that), but didn’t, and we fear a repeat of that. While I fulfilled some of the things on my to-do list last year, there are plenty of others that I didn't.

Although these may not be the only emotions that may fill our hearts during this time, I am certain we can all agree that peace is much desired. So, it begs the question, what are some ways we can we go about experiencing some New Year’s peace? While I can’t promise that peace will come upon you as suddenly as the New Year did, there are four ways that I have found helpful for promoting a sense of peace in my soul.

1. Surround yourself with uplifting things and people.

Sometimes this may be the last thing we want to do, especially if you are anything like me. I tend to discount optimism because often it seems contrary to reality, or even downright insensitive to the very raw feelings we may be experiencing.

However, I have discovered that without a little ray of light I feel perpetually trapped in darkness that seems to compound and intensify. We might not be ready for the sun to come shining down on us, because our viewpoint on life is not something that will typically change overnight, but we can start by lighting a candle.

Music is one such way that I am able to do this. This past year, I downloaded Pandora on my phone, and since then I have found myself listening to music almost nonstop. Among some of my favourite songs are those that not only speak to the pain of life, but leaves me with some feeling of hope. In fact, I have created a playlist that is composed of songs that speak life into my heart--- my positivity playlist. (Perhaps I’ll write another blog post with some of my recommendations!)

That’s just one medium through which to absorb positive and uplifting material—there’s also books. Read things that inspire and encourage. If you find that the Bible is your go-to read, you may find it helpful to read verses that deal with peace. (To read more about some of the verses I find useful, you can check out my post, “A Quest for Peace.”).

In addition to carefully choosing what media you choose to intake, it’s also equally important to surround yourself with people who are supportive and wholesome to be around.

2. Acknowledge Your Feelings.

Most of us have discovered that masquerading as happy people doesn’t actually mean we really feel that way. While I understand that we may not feel it is appropriate to do in certain contexts to express how we feel deep down inside, we do need to be honest with ourselves about how we are feeling. We may try to bury our feelings deep inside our hearts, but the truth is we can only dig a hole so deep before it becomes a sinkhole.

It may be somewhat uncomfortable to do at first, but it’s always good to talk to someone we can trust whether that’s a friend or a counsellor. If you feel as though there isn’t really anyone you can safely trust with your feelings, I suggest sharing it with God. He is the only one who can truly understand how we feel, and He is always available to listen. (Note: if you or someone who love is contemplating suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255).

3. Make A List of What You Can and Can’t Control.

While I can’t say I remember as much as I should from Biology, one thing that stuck with me was the concept of the independent and dependent variable. As the name suggests, the independent variable is “a variable whose variation does not depend on that of another.” (Oxford Languages Dictionary). The dependent variable is just the opposite of this. While these might be terms scientists discuss in the lab, it’s very true of real life.

There are things that we have control over, yes, but there are also those that we have no control over. I would suggest creating a mental list of what is and what isn’t within your immediate power to change, because it’s helpful to have a clear notion of what those things are. Maybe even write them down so you can visualize them.

If I’ve learned anything over the past three years of Covid, it’s that there is a lot I can’t control. Because of this realization, I have resolved to try and not take these factors I can’t control on my own shoulders, and instead leave them to God. It isn’t always easy to do, but it brings quite a sense of relief.

4. Remember That It’s Okay Not to Be Perfect.

We are broken people. We have broken hearts, broken dreams, broken homes, and perhaps even broken bones. We may not be in the place we want to be in our emotional lives or our careers. We may have failed to uphold our New Year’s resolutions already.

However, we shouldn’t let this define our self-worth or value, because God certainly doesn’t let it define how He feels about us. As the MSG version puts it, “He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.” (Psalm 103:14). He already is well-aware of our imperfections. But He says to us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”(2 Corinthians 12:9a).

Do you realize just how powerful and amazing that is? He has already anticipated our weaknesses and promises grace in advance. Think about it, Jesus literally gave his life for us 2000 years before we were even born. That is saying something about how much we are worth to Him.

Instead of beating ourselves up about not being perfect, we can be like Paul and say, Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9b). All we have to do is trust in Him.

So will you let our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” into your heart this new year? I hope you’ll say yes!