15 Bible Verses About New Beginnings for the New Year
The morning of winter solstice met us with a pellucid sky. I stared out the window and gathered my thoughts before pulling out my Bible in search of Bible verses about new beginnings.
Something about the start of a new season leads me to step back and reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going. At this time of year, I also start looking ahead to the New Year as I assess my goals and seek God for vision.
I invite you to join me as we turn to God’s Word for 15 Bible verses about new beginnings for the New Year. I’ll also share a list of questions for self-reflection and vision-casting as you step into the new season.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with Jesus as you enter into this new beginning.
May these words guide us as we aim to be intentional about following God into the new season.
Bible Verses About New Beginnings
Here are God’s words about new beginnings and changing seasons.
15 Bible Verses About New Beginnings
1. Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
As we reflect on the past, some of us ache with regret or shame.
Today, let’s bring these regrets to God. Let’s sort through the endeavors that failed and the mistakes we made.
Take some time to ask God to search your heart and show you anything he wants you to know about the previous season. Confess any sins to him. Thank him for forgiving you. Step into this new beginning with your face set like flint, learning from what is behind you but not ruminating over it.
In Christ, the old is gone. The new has come.
2. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
This was God’s promise to his people when they were exiles in the land of Babylon. They felt hopeless and discouraged as they endured this 70-year period of captivity away from their homeland.
Through Jeremiah, God reminded them that his plans for them were good. He would return them to their land and restore them.
His plans for us are good, too. He has a future and a hope awaiting us. As we do our best to stay in step with him, he will guide us into his good plans.
3. Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Before Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land, God reminded them that he was with them.
He is with his children today as well. Ask God to help you trust him as you step into the future he has prepared for you. He will never leave you, and nothing can take his love away from you.
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4. Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
God will equip you for your calling.
If the assignment in front of you feels overwhelming, like something you cannot accomplish, you are in the perfect position for God to reveal his power through you. Lean into him.
5. Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
God’s right hand signifies his action in our lives. God will uphold you with this hand, providing for you as you step into the future. Rest in this.
6. Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Do you feel anxious as you look at this new beginning?
The Apostle Paul reminds us not to be anxious about anything. Rather, we are to pray with thanksgiving and tell God what’s on our minds. In response, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.
God calls us to pray directly and specifically. He wants to answer our prayers.
7. Psalm 138:8
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Remember that God will fulfill his purpose for you. If you step off the best path, he will be faithful to gently redirect you.
Trust that as you seek his guidance, he will faithfully lead you.
More Bible Verses About New Beginnings
8. James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Do you need wisdom about the season you are stepping into?
Ask God for wisdom. He gives wisdom to those who seek it.
9. James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
We can discern God’s wisdom by testing it against this verse.
God’s wisdom is pure, peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, merciful, impartial, sincere, and bears good fruit. It also aligns with Scripture.
10. Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
When I need wisdom for a new season, I talk to people who are wise. God guides us into new beginnings with the support of others.
11. Proverbs 13:20
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
First Corinthians 15:33 tells us that bad company corrupts good character. As you step into this new beginning, be mindful of the company you keep.
Are they lifting you up or pulling you down?
When we surround ourselves with people who speak life and truth over us, we are more likely to walk in peace and wisdom.
12. Proverbs 14:16
One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
As you step into this new beginning, ask God to help you turn away from anything that doesn’t honor him.
He wants to guide you with care into a life of peace and abundance (John 16:33).
13. Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
What entangled you in the previous season?
How can you release this so that you can follow hard after Christ in this new beginning?
Take some time to talk to God about this and follow his guidance.
14. Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
We all tend to rely on human understanding. Proverbs 3:5 offers a radical shift: Trust God and lean on him.
What would it look like to release your need to understand the season ahead and trust God?
15. Isaiah 40:28
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Trust in this promise as you step into the season ahead. God is all-knowing, and he will guide you.
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Let’s now switch gears and take some time to prepare ourselves for what is ahead by sitting with these questions for reflection.
Questions for Reflection at New Beginnings
1. What went well in the past season? What felt like a success?
Take time to celebrate the victories. What can you learn from these moments and use as you move forward?
2. What was hard? What felt like a failure?
These questions aren’t easy, but they lead to growth.
Here’s an example:
Last year, I felt like I’d failed God as I mentored someone God had placed in my sphere of influence.
As I reflected on the situation, God showed me that what felt like failure was actually growth. I didn’t see the fruit of my efforts, but I did learn more about speaking the truth in love.
God also showed me where my desire to be in control impacted my ability to love freely. I grew tremendously by taking the time to sit with the discomfort of my perceived failure.
This leads to the next question:
3. What did I learn?
Ask God to show you what he wants you to learn from past season. You might be surprised by the thoughts that come to mind.
Remember, God will never shame you or make you feel condemned. He will gently correct you, in love.
4. What does God want to heal?
Life is hard.
We all get wounded by the world.
Stepping back to create space for God to heal our emotional wounds is important.
5. What burden do I need to release?
Maybe God wants you to let go of the desire to control a difficult situation. Perhaps he is leading you to search your heart for unconfessed sin. He might be showing you a layer of grief he wants to lift or inviting you to trust him with a loved one.
Talk to him about your burdens and follow wherever you sense he is leading.
6. What is God’s vision for the new season ahead of me?
Take the time to ask God where he is leading you in the upcoming months. What commitments already exist for you in the next season? Talk to God about what he wants you to know as he prepares you for these commitments.
What would it look like to love God well and love others well as you fulfill these commitments?
Do you need to make any gentle shifts in your routines or rhythms as you step forward?
7. What am I dreading?
The sense of dread can be a red flag calling for attention.
I tend to shove dread aside as I push forward toward my goals; however, there is a time to be honest about a sense of dread when it comes to the future.
At times, this dread is nothing more than a low level of anxiety surrounding the uncertainty of the future. At other times, it can feel all-encompassing.
Talk to God about any dread you are feeling.
Is God calling you to change your commitments or make adjustments to your schedule? Or is he asking you to step into the assignment in front of you (perhaps with a different attitude)?
Ask him to align your heart with his. You might need to tell dread that there is no room for it at your table.
8. What feels life-giving right now?
Maybe you haven’t made enough space for life-giving activities. In what ways do you need to change your rhythms to make room for replenishment?
You might feel inclined to change the way you’ve been exercising or eating, make more time for relaxation, or carve out time for fun with friends. Follow wherever the Lord seems to be leading.
9. What has God been showing me or speaking to my heart?
Do you have a sense of what God has been showing you or speaking to your heart?
If so, reflect on this and talk to him about it. It might help to write the impressions you’ve been receiving in a journal.
If you haven’t had a sense of God’s voice or direction, ask him to show you what he wants you to know. It might help to reflect on today’s Bible verses about new beginnings and seek God’s guidance.
10. What does God want to show me about my relationship with him?
Last, talk to God about your relationship with him. How are things going? Do you feel connected to him, bored, tired, distracted, or something else?
Talk to God about this.
What would it look like to seek him in restorative ways? Is he calling you to change the way you are responding to his pursuit in any way?
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If these Bible verses about new beginnings for the New Year blessed you, I invite you to explore our family devotionals and library of free devotional eBooks below. Why not start the new season guiding your family in the pursuit of God!
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Calling All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Find Peace in God’s Presence
If these Bible verses about new beginnings and questions were helpful, I have a gift for you. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
