Wisdom for Ringing in 2024, the New Year

Wisdom For Ringing in the New Year

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace” The Message Matthew 11:28-29 

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  

Life in Rhythm: What time is it in your life? 

There is a better way to live: shift from balance to rhythm. Rhythm fundamentally honors time. Our lives are constantly in motion, continually moving.  

This next year, you can live with less stress, guilt, and a sense of failure. You can grow in peace, fulfillment, and joy. When you begin to live rhythmically, you relax, accomplish more of what matters, and enjoy life more. 

What time is it in your life? A God-honoring, healthy, fulfilled life looks quite different in different seasons. What makes sense in one stage of life has no place in another. We may go to school, have babies, or retire in certain phases, but not at every stage.  

The Greek word for time, “kairos,” describes experienced time and quality time, such as the right moment to say something sensitive or seize an opportunity. What is this kairos time in your life? What stage or season are you in? What is the beginning or ending? Is it “summer break” or “finals”? Are you in the playoffs, pre-season or off-season? We must know what season it is if we are to live well. 

Once you have identified your seasons, what do you do with that knowledge? You can discover a life of more peace, fulfillment, and joy by embracing your kairos rhythms. Rhythms are not to be resisted, managed, or ignored but embraced. Rhythms must not be fought, overlooked, or ignored; they must be embraced.  

Just as in surfing, we anticipate the waves and align our lives with the natural rhythm and direction of the waves. We employ the three kairos strategies to live in time with our kairos rhythms: release expectations, seize opportunities, and anticipate what’s next. 

To learn more, check out Your Life in Rhythm, a perfect book to read as one year turns into the next. Learn how to live an intentional life filled with joy, meaning, and peace.