How to Enter a New Year

The 4 men who were seated at the city gate in  2 Kings 7 can teach us how to enter a new year or new phase in our lives successfully. 

These men were dealing with the following serious problems:
1. They were suffering from leprosy which at that time was an incurable disease.

2. They were social outcasts because of their skin disease. 

3. They were facing starvation because of the Syrian siege which can caused severe food shortage.

However, they did not allow their problems to make them give up on life because they asked themselves "Why are we sitting here until we die?" (2 Kings 7:3) 

They then analyzed their lives by doing the following:

1. They looked at their past

They looked at their past and what they had been doing and found that it was terrible for they said, "If we sit here at the gate we will die of starvation." (2 Kings 7:3)

2. They looked at their present

They looked at their present and saw that going back to the city would lead to a definite disaster for they said, "If we enter the city, there is a famine and we will die of starvation." (2 Kings 7:3) 

3. They looked at their future

They looked at their future and saw they had a better chance of survival if they did something new and for they said, "Let us go to the Syrian army because if they let us live, we shall live. If they kill us we shall only die." (2 Kings 7:3) 

They chose the better of their two bad options and arose at twilight to go to the Syrian camp.

On arrival, they found it empty since God had caused the Syrian army to hear the noise of the chariots and horses of a great army and they assumed the Israelite king had hired the Egyptians and Hittites to attack them. (2 Kings 7:3)

As a result, the Syrian army arose at twilight and fled for their lives leaving their camp intact so that when the lepers arrived, they found food, drink, silver, gold and clothing. (2 Kings 7:7)

Therefore if the past year or phase in your life was filled with grave problems which are still surrounding you in your present reality, do not give up on life.

Without letting fear and discouragement cloud your judgement, evaluate your past, present and future.

Assess the things you are currently doing and the things you did in your past to see if there are any that will change your circumstances for the better. If there are none, pray for guidance to find out what new thing you can do in the new phase you are entering to change your life for the better.

As you pick your option that holds the best possibility of changing your life for the better, ensure that it is righteous or right in the sight of God.

Then, pray as you boldly set out to do the new thing in the New Year since The righteous person is as bold as a lion. (Proverbs 28:1)