The book of Galatians in the New Testament has six chapters and each of them contains a reminder that will help you make 2025 the best year yet. These six chapters each give us ways to help not only make our lives better but also help us become the best Christians we can be. I hope to put these reminders into practice this year, and I hope you do as well.
Reminder 1: Don’t live for the approval of others. “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10) As Christians, we should never live our lives to try and impress others around us. Our focus should always be on pleasing God. When you make God the focus of how you live, everything else will fall into place.
Reminder 2: You are not defined by your past. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Thank goodness we aren’t defined by who we used to be! Once we accept Christ as our Savior and surrender to Him, we are made new. We get to start fresh and get to live this life knowing that we are a child of God. What a wonderful feeling to know that you don’t ever have to worry about who you used to be.
Reminder 3: Your worth is in Christ, not in your job or education. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) Do you remember in high school what a tragedy it was when you didn’t have just the right pair of jeans? Or being at a party and not wanting to tell the person you see as a success what you do for a job? Well guess what? None of that matters in Christ! Once you are a Christian, your worth is in Christ. It doesn’t matter a hill of beans what diploma you have on the wall or if you are the most successful person from your graduating high school class. As a follower of Christ, you are more valuable than anything else this world deems important.
Reminder 4: You are no longer a slave to this world; you are now a child of God. “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:7) No matter what your family life has been in the past, no matter who your parents are, no matter where you were born, once you have become a child of God, you become a child of God. You are an heir to all of his promises. You have a home in Heaven and a place by God’s side. What a comfort to know, that no matter your status in this life, you are a child of God and will always be taken care of.
Reminder 5: Don’t be led by feelings and emotions, be led by the spirit. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) As a child of God, God’s heir, we are required to not let ourselves be overwhelmed with feelings and worldly emotions. This one is a tough one for me. Anxiety and fear sometimes can be crippling for me, and it has gotten worse since my brother’s death in July. My husband has been a constant reminder to lean on God’s spirit and to let God’s love and support guide me. With Christ, all things are possible. God will help you overcome everything, even a spirit of fear and anxiety.
Reminder 6: Don’t grow weary while doing good. When the time is right, you will reap what you’ve sown. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not
give up.” (Galatians 6:9) This world wants to make us believe that the good guy finishes last, that if you want to succeed, you have to step on those around you to get to the top. This is one of the most dangerous lies that the devil, the enemy, tells us. We are called to take the high road, to continue doing good in the face of adversity. We are required to do good because by doing so, you become the only Jesus that some people will ever see. As Christians we are asked to sow the good news of the kingdom and God will reap the harvest. By telling others the good news of Christ, we are giving the greatest gift we can give to our fellow men. Live the life of a child of God, the reward of Heaven is worth it.
These six simple reminders will be an amazing guidebook to live by in 2025. I am going to do my best to put them all into practice, and I hope that you do as well. If I follow these reminders, I can’t wait to see how 2025 will be; it will be the best year yet!
This week’s recipe is a simple, one-pan, dish that is not only healthy but delicious. It is perfect for those crazy weeknights and sure to be a crowd-pleaser. I love it and I hope your family does as well.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
January 3, 2025
