What’s New?

Hi brothers and sisters, are you one of those that like to seek “what is new?” Freshness is something most of us would look forward to. New environment, new gifts, new clothes and the coming new year. Why do we love new things? Because it means some form of renewal (or hope for renewal) whether physically or within. However, we may realise that even as we seek after or possess new things, very quickly, we will go back to the same feeling at the very end, either bored, numb and seeking new freshness again. Maybe when we are young we do not feel it, but as we grow older, we will come to realise the repetitiveness of this cycle. And the issue here is really not with the “new things” we are looking for, but the matter of our hearts.

Seek where our heart is instead

As we are seekers of new things, the most important question is to ask what our hearts are looking at? Where are we placing our hearts in? Who is the master of our hearts?

By our knowledge of the word, we know that God has made us new, we are new creation in Him, new identify, new belonging and hope, but yet, our hearts may still feel like its old self, with the same fear, same greed, same complaints, same helplessness, same response to situations. So we must see that this is not how the Word of God wants to lead us into. Every word that God speaks is into our hearts and only He can change that. That is why, one of the most challenging thing for a believer is numbness. Numb because God may be doing new things daily but we still use our old state of heart to receive His leading. So that is what Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 9:16-17, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Similarly, our old state of heart cannot contain new grace. This is very much like the Israelites that were saved from slavery in Egypt and travelled through the wilderness. God gave them new manna, new meat, water, one after another, new things by God’s hands. Yet, it wasn’t enough for the people. They wanted fresh environment, fresh feelings, fresh satisfaction, leading to their building of a golden calf idol. The issue was with their hearts and very much like our own, likes to satisfy our flesh needs. We can seek new pleasures, thrills, experiences, travel around, buy the nice stuff, but at some point, we will feel discontented again, lack again. We cannot be satisfied by these because we are stuffing in with what can only be filled up by God. 

Get your heart in the game

So how can we get our hearts in the right place?

1. Be wary of the typical mindset in seeking what is new
   After confirming where our heart lies in and realising our need to seek God instead. We have to be clear and discerning about the influence of the world, that is giving us a typical mindset to seek what is new, what is better and things like that. We have to reflect what is really good. Sometimes, the “new” that we seek, if we do gain it, it may not really benefit us as well. The key is after receiving what we do in life, how does our heart respond? Can your heart withstand the temptations, can you still love God? If we cannot, then why do we anticipate and find joy in these things? We can get them,  now, yes. But we will lose it or it will pass away later or soon enough.
2. We seek renewal according to His Word
   Next, it is true that we need to seek renewal from time to time, lest we become too complacent, comfortable and numb. However, this renewal we seek must be one that comes according to His word. That is the only way our heart can be in the right place. We have to seek joy, hope and anticipation from God’s truth. Very often, the things we seek are very much according to our desires. Like maybe for children to be well behaved, for our career to be smooth, for relationships to be well-maintained and such. However, let us challenge ourselves to pray and seek according to God’s word. If we are praying for our child, we pray in confirmation of the child being a gift and inheritance to us, so we pray to first receive wisdom and grace in nurturing them. This is according to what the Lord has said. And we can apply this to any other areas of our lives. When we anticipate according to God’s truth, we will be guided into actions of faith and do according to the timely convictions, casting any burdens to the Lord as we do so.
3. Continue to do what you ought to do (Jer 29:4-7)
   This leads to our third point where as we want to seek renewal, we ought to continue to do what we are already doing. Let us read Jeremiah 29:4-7, where God told the people of Israel who were carried into exile. “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Here, the Lord is basically trying to say that despite our days, continue to do what we should be doing. Do not lament, stay stagnant, get upset or hate on the people or things around us when things are not looking good or as desired. Do not let this breed in our hearts but as the Lord says, do what we should be doing faithfully, and continue to receive His grace in the process, He is with us. Rather than putting our hearts and minds on what is next, what is better, what is more, we keep our spirits upright in being in and doing what the Lord has called us to do in this time. We will then not be blinded but have a clearer vision to understand that God is not concerned about how well we do, how good we look, how many new things we are getting into, but He is focused on blessing us and benefitting us in our hearts and growth in faith. God is actually doing new things everyday. Even as we may be doing the same thing over daily, when we seek the Lord, He will give us new convictions, finding new help, new support, new grace. Brothers and sisters, when we seek these kind of new things in the Lord’s guidance, He delights in us and we will follow the Lord even more closely and joyfully. Then no matter how hard things may be, you will go through it and see that it all becomes a wonderful testimony. God bless.