Rhythm of Life

Gail Oliver Cambridge | January 1, 2022

Be Grateful and Joyful in the New Year!

Whether or not you make New Year’s resolutions, I’m sure you have thoughts about what you would like to do differently in the upcoming year. The change may be quitting the job you hate or growing healthy relationships and cutting off those that don’t serve you well. Whatever it is, there’s an excited feeling at this special calendar switch as we look forward to new possibilities.

By God’s grace we’re alive to see a new year! We can show our gratitude by choosing to live joyful lives. Let’s put aside our anxieties and usher in fresh perspectives. This may mean changing our way of thinking and embracing a new outlook on how we go about living, which is great as there’s always room for improvement in whatever we do.

Of course, for some of us, this time of year may be difficult as we grapple with feelings of melancholy brought on by the loss of a loved one or our own broken aspirations. That is the rhythm of life—we will experience highs and lows throughout our lives, sometimes together and sometimes alone.

When we find ourselves at a low point, we should remember to be gentle with ourselves and operate as we would when comforting someone we care about. Let’s avoid stressful situations and not put undue pressure on ourselves but take each issue in stride. As we move to our rhythm, we’ll keep in step and not be sidetracked but remain focused on our priorities.

Friends, let our lives reflect our gratitude, joy, and love in appreciation to where we are right now. If we need to, we can summon these feelings. Think about a fond memory, special person, favorite song, or hilarious joke…stop reading and let it wash over you. Seriously, stop here and bring it to mind. Savor the moment.

When I wrote the title of this blog post, I was reminded of the song, “Rhythm of the Night” by DeBarge and its lyrics, “Forget about the worries on your mind; you can leave them all behind.” I hope you take this message into the new year! Click here to listen to the song and get into your musical rhythm.