“Re”. These are two of the most powerful letters in the English alphabet.
Place them in front of almost any word, and things change. Things happen. For good or bad.
But today is a new day, of a new month, of a new year. So let’s focus on the good. Especially since Paul, in his letter to the church in Philippi, says we should.
This idea of leaving the past behind, and gazing hopefully towards the horizon, in a single moment of time, is one of the reasons why so much of humanity celebrates this one event.
In our family, what I call my tribe, many of us select a singular word to focus on throughout the new year. It’s a great practice.
When it comes to celebrating a new year, there are a few words that come to mind. But we can’t go anywhere, without first getting past the big “Re” word: RESOLUTION.
Resolution
Ahh yes, the notorious New Year’s Resolution(s). The time honored annual tradition of making empty promises and lies to oneself.
Is this still a thing?
I really don’t need to go into great detail about this topic, other than to mention it. But if there is a silver lining around new year’s resolutions, that would be the opportunity for some sober self-assessment.
Most resolutions are declarations of self-improvement. Which indicates that one is, at the very least, taking inventory of the areas that need some attention in their life. That is not a bad thing.
Sadly, most New Year’s Resolutions will get swept up and discarded, along with all the scattered confetti on the ground from the previous night’s celebrations.
Reset
If you’re like me, you’ll immediately think of a button when reading this word. Push it or click on it, and whatever is in front of you goes back to its original state.
A clean slate to start over from scratch.
Whatever was there – and no matter how long it has been there – it’s gone. It’s a drastic action to take. Some would classify it as destructive. In some cases, like a factory reset of a precious device, it’s a last ditch effort to save it.
When it comes to life, there are plenty of events that may crash our hard drives unexpectedly and induce a ‘hard reset’. Crises, catastrophe, and hardships are usually the catalysts for looking to a new year’s reset.
Instead of getting blindsided, New Year’s Day gives us an opportunity to approach these jarring changes in a controlled manner. We can make the decision, plan out a strategy, and roll out the changes on our timeline.
At least in our minds.
And that hopeful sentiment is what drives us to push that button.
Renew
If a reset is the result of destructive action, then renewal is the step taken before resorting to a reset.
The beauty of renewal is that starting over is not required. There are some things that work just fine and are worth saving. Still, a cleansing purge needs to take place.
My mind goes to home renovations or car restorations when thinking of renewal. (Who else just pictured Chip Gaines staring into the camera and shouting “demo day!”?) Taking a hammer to a wall or torching out a section of rusted fender is certainly nerve wracking. The fear is that this will make things worse and the damage is irreversible.
The alternative – do nothing – is actually far worse. Neglect never fixed anything, and rot simply eats to destruction.
The key part is maintaining the vision of the finished product. To keep the goal in focus.
Going for a renewal in 2026? Right now, envision what the before and after is going to look like, this time next year.
Refresh
Not everyone looks forward to a complete overhaul of their life at the beginning of a new year. Some have had a good year, or even their best year yet!
But most people who are riding a wave of momentum and experiencing success, are still going to try and figure out how to keep moving in that direction. In this case, a refresh of things that are impeding progress would make sense.
A refresh is like replacing a burned out headlight, or putting a fresh coat of paint on a bedroom wall.
These seemingly small touches still provide an immensely positive return on the psyche. A sense of progress to encourage forward movement.
I suspect that getting to this point involves going through a reset or renewal at some point in life.
Restart
When it feels like life is stuck, or frozen in time, and not in a good way, a restart might just be the way to go.
This can be the old ‘stuck-in-a-rut’ problem.
I’ve been there where positive change isn’t coming, not for lack of trying, but for adverse circumstances. No matter which path I tried, it always lead to a dead end.
In sports, this is called being in a slump. It’s truly witchcraft. Or spiritual warfare. At least it feels that way. In reality, I’ve found it to be a mental issue.
The solution is to go back to the fundamentals. To go back to the beginning and start over.
Which brings up the importance of having a coach or mentor. It helps to have someone recognize and tell us when it’s time. A coach who says, “Run it back!” or stage director to yell out, “Ok, take it from the top!”.
What are the basic fundamentals of life?
Coach or no coach, New Year’s Day is the perfect time to revisit that list and restart from there.
Revive
Those looking to revive their life are often at rock bottom. Their realm is where the demon Despair reigns. His message echoes out: All is lost. There is no hope.
I admit the tendency of my mind here to default to addictions, mental illness, or physical deficiencies as the root cause for getting there. But life has proven to overwhelm many of the healthy, wealthy, and worldly wise who live among us.
No one wants to get to this point. Physically.
But spiritually, this is where everyone needs to be, in order for true metamorphosis and renewal to take place.
On New Year’s Day, thoughts are preoccupied with the coming year. For some, just trying to get through the day is a daunting task. But they are much closer to the reality of life, and death, than most.
Because life is fragile and the next moment is not guaranteed. I know this firsthand.
What comes after this life?
What is at stake?
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
–Matthew 16:26 ESV
The very definition of revival is to bring back to life. For something to be revived, it must be dead. That is the spiritually default state of all who are born into this life.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -by grace you have been saved-
— Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV
When it comes to being revived, considerations for the next life, the afterlife, tend to over shadow the New Year. There comes a stronger desire for depth and meaning beyond materialism, along with a tectonic shift in values.
In truth, the one seeking to be truly revived, is seeking something entirely different.
What “Re-” word comes to your mind this New Year’s Day?
Which one of these words resonate with you?