When the New Year Has Knocked You Down

By: Jenifer Metzger

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient

for you, for my power is perfected in

weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly

boast all the more about my weaknesses,

so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

The new year dawns with so much promise on the horizon. This is going to be your year. The year you finally make progress. The year you finally reach your goal. The year everything will be different. The year your life will finally change for the better. Anticipation builds. Excitement bubbles up. Then, January becomes the longest month in history with struggles at every turn.

I have spent the entire month of January sick. Not the same sickness mind you. I walked into the new year with a lingering cough from December's sickness. While still battling the cough, a new virus had me down for the count. After about a week of that, I felt good for a couple days only to have the second round of this virus knock me back out. The virus finally passed but that pesky cough from December clung tightly. The very same day the cough finally began to loosen it's grip, the flu attacked and had me bed ridden for nearly a week. I think, I pray, I might finally be on the mend, but 2025 certainly didn't start how I hoped.

Maybe your situation has been more serious health issues. Maybe it's been financial. Or with a relationship. Maybe your job. Whatever it is, January has you feeling black and blue.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that God's grace is sufficient for us. That even in our weakness, His power can reside in us. Even in our weakness, His power is demonstrated. That means in our sickness, in our hurt, in our loneliness, in our loss, in our pain, in our grief, in our frustration, in whatever we face, His power is demonstrated.

So how do we get this power to reside in us? How do we see this power demonstrated? We turn to God. We give Him whatever it is we face and we fully trust in Him. We stop fighting our own battle and let God do what He does best. It may not look how we think it will, but we can rest assure that it will look like what it needs to look like for God's plan and purpose to take place.

Friend, whatever you have faced this year, whatever bogged you down last year, give it to God. His grace is enough.

Discussion:
1. How has 2025 started off for you? Has everything been as you hoped and planned, or have there been some rollercoaster rides?
2. How can you give it to God and trust that His power will be demonstrated?