First Sunday of 2025

Start 2025 with Spiritual Renewal and Strength

As we enter the first Sunday of 2025, it’s natural to reflect on the highs and lows of the previous year. For some, 2024 may feel like a chapter best forgotten, while others anticipate new beginnings and opportunities. Yet, before diving into the busyness of the new year, we need to pause, reflect, and recharge. Just as a battery loses energy and needs to be reconnected to its power source, we too need spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal to move forward with clarity, strength, and purpose.

Plug into the Power Source

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”

— John 15:5 (NIV)

True renewal begins when we connect to the ultimate power source—God. Jesus extends an invitation in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Weariness is universal. Whether it’s physical exhaustion from a busy year, emotional fatigue from relationships, or spiritual dryness, we all experience moments when we feel depleted. But we don’t have to face the new year relying solely on our own strength. God’s grace meets us in our weakness and empowers us.

Matthew 5:14 reminds us that we are the light of the world. Just as oil was essential for lamps in biblical times and batteries power modern torches, our light is only effective when we’re recharged. Disconnecting too soon from God’s presence can leave us drained, unable to shine brightly in a dark world.

Alone Time with God Recharges the Soul

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

— Mark 1:35

To recharge spiritually, we must follow Jesus’ example of prioritizing time with God. In a world that values constant busyness, it’s countercultural to pause, rest, and be alone with the Father. Yet, Isaiah 40:31 promises:

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

Hoping in the Lord means trusting Him and leaning into His presence. In quiet moments of prayer, fasting, worship, and Bible reading, we find peace and fresh perspectives that the world cannot offer. Alone time with God isn’t about doing more but about being restored in who we are in Him.

Recharging Leads to Rejoicing

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

— Psalm 85:6 (ESV)

Recharging in God’s presence leads to more than renewal—it brings joy. As we draw near to Him, He fills us with a joy that transcends circumstances. This joy isn’t meant to stay within us; it overflows, impacting others. When people see the peace, hope, and joy we carry, it draws them closer to God.

Psalm 16:11 reminds us:

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Recharging in God’s presence isn’t just about surviving—it’s about thriving. It’s about being filled with His strength and overflowing with a joy that transforms every aspect of our lives.

A Year of Renewal

As we prepare for 2025, let us make space for recharging in God’s presence. Acknowledge your need for His strength, His love, and His power. Trust that when you hope in the Lord, He will give you the strength to soar, run, and walk with endurance.

May 2025 be a year of spiritual renewal, deeper trust in God, and strength for the journey ahead. Leave behind the weariness of the past and step forward, empowered by God’s sustaining grace.

Start this year plugged into the true source of strength, and watch as His power transforms your life.