All Things New

This devotional has been adapted for the Hillsong Channel website
and is featured in Ps. Brian Houston’s Book – Live Love Lead.

Do you practice new year’s resolutions?

I think many of us see a new year as a new opportunity to live with resolve and change what has been. I believe any resolve is good resolve, whether it’s on January 1st or June 1st. In fact, I start most months with fresh resolve.

I may have light-heartedly declared around the dinner table that “this will be my last ever dessert” a few times over, but I live with the belief that while there’s life, there’s hope. If I don’t have any resolve in my life, there’s absolutely no chance that anything is going to change.

According to the Word of God

However, it is only when we live our lives according to the Word of God, that we understand it is not our efforts, it’s not our striving, it’s not what we can do in our own strength that’s actually going to change anything. But it’s believing that God can cause things to work together for good as we simply live our lives loving him, live our lives called according to his purpose—this is what transforms us.

Maybe I’m just a positive person by nature, but I expect good things each day of every year, not just January 1st. I believe without a doubt that every single moment of every single day, for all 365 days, can reveal God’s goodness—in my life and in yours.

His Goodness

It doesn’t always feel good, but can you see his goodness operating in your life right now, today? What things did you bring into this year? What things either good or bad are in front of you right now? And do you believe God is working them all together for his purpose?

I love David’s Psalms. I love them for David’s honesty and for expressing those dark nights of the soul when God seems far away and we can’t see his goodness. But I also love that regardless of those moments, David manages to trust in the Lord and move forward, resting in his confidence that God would see him through, making a way and revealing a glorious future.

How would you live differently today if you believed deep down that God had crowned your year with his goodness? What would you dare to accomplish for his kingdom if you believed the path he has set you on drips with abundance?

He has… and he will. The God we serve has purpose and plans for your life that are good. His thoughts about you are good; his will for you is good. All things are made new in his presence… your glorious future was planned before the foundations of the earth.

I want something to resonate in your heart as you start this new year—regardless of what you’re currently facing …

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28, NKJV).

God’s Word is crystal clear that our Father is committed to seeing us through all things, committed to empowering us to live, love and lead a life of purpose, passion, power, and peace. In him, we can find meaning in our everyday moments, hope in our hurt, joy in the small things, and new life—born again with expectation of a glorious future.

Consider this for your own life right now: all things working together for good.

All Things

In the Greek, this phrase “all things” means just that—everything, each and every one of them, all-inclusive. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for “all things” is just as all encompassing. No matter how you look at it in the Bible—and it’s in Scripture 353 times —“all things” means all things. Not just the good things but all things. Every single thing that occurs in our lives and in our world, God can work together for good as we love him and live according to his purpose.

Life has moments that we would not describe as good, some simple inconveniences and others serious trials. But in case there is any doubt, let me drive the point home for you. In Romans, the Bible is talking about ALL THINGS. All things means inconvenient things, difficult things, upsetting things, hurtful things, confusing things, unexpected things, frightening things, painful things, shameful things, sorrowful things, and uncertain things.

He Weaves Everything Together

God wastes nothing and somehow, as only he can, he weaves everything together for his glorious future. All things includes connections and disconnections, things coming together and things falling apart, your best day and your worst day, opportunities gained and opportunities lost, good seasons and tough seasons, problems and solutions, conflicts and resolutions, trials and triumphs, relationships and acquaintances, sickness and health, poverty and wealth.

I love the way The Message puts it: “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” (Rom. 8:28). I’ve had my own personal journey of grief, heartache and disappointment – not everything’s good and not only good things happen to us, but we serve a God for whom all things work together for good to those who love him, to those who are called according to his purpose.

This is not to diminish the hard things. The things impossible to understand and probably undeserved. It’s to encourage you that in ALL THINGS… He still has a glorious future in mind. When you love God, live for Christ, and lead by his Spirit, you unleash a glorious future into the present of each and every day.

Ps. Brian Houston