By Dr. Jennifer Hayden Stokes
Neoannophobia: It’s a word that refers to stress or anxiety of the New Year. While many friends may be happy to press the “reset button” while launching into the New Year, some are far more cautious, seeing it as a time of uncertainty leading to added stress.
It reminds me of my drive to work one day last week. Freezing fog obscured the way forward offering only a few feet of visibility. I was forced to use my car’s GPS to find the next turn, even on my well-known way to work. I was disoriented with my eyes wide open. It’s unnerving.
When I got to work, I was thankful the drive was over. However, one step on the parking lot blacktop led to a rapid slip and my whole body clunked to the ground. My eyes deceived me again. The frozen fog had left a fine, invisible layer of ice over the surface that brought me down!
What about you? Does the thought of a foggy future, repeated failures, and added bumps and bruises in the New Year amp up your stress? Or are you more likely to find yourself willingly leaping into the New Year?
As Christians, we can turn to God’s Word in confidence, knowing that He has given us all we need for the future. In addition, we must recall that the very Immanuel, “God with us” of whom we sang at Christmas walks with us into the as-yet unwritten calendar year.
Ephesians 1:3 reads, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
As children of the living God, we have already been given every spiritual blessing. Nothing has been held back. The Lord has already outfitted us for the unknown. He sees our path as if it’s already been mapped out, and better yet, He walks with us into it.