A blank page: 2026
Real change starts with a heart unburdened by the past.
Good intentions
The new year has begun: 2026. A time when we all declare that we are bursting with good intentions. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t? One person says, “I’m really going to exercise more, because I really need to lose those Christmas pounds.” Another swears that the last cigarette has now been extinguished for good. And when it comes to faith, I often hear, “I want to make more time for prayer, for my quiet time, and to really dive into the Bible again.” Wonderful resolutions, every one of them. But we know very well how difficult it is to keep them.
We often talk about our behavior when we make these resolutions. But isn’t it much more important that our attitude changes? Our inner mindset? Let me illustrate that with a little story:
It’s New Year’s Eve, a few minutes before midnight. Two neighbors are walking up their driveway. The atmosphere is frosty; they haven’t spoken to each other in a long time. There have been heated discussions and an invisible wall now stands between them because of their political differences. One neighbor is bitter and thinks his own views are far superior to those of the other. The other neighbor is more hopeful; he looks for bright spots and wonders how he can improve the situation in the new year.
Just around midnight, as the bitter neighbor turns away sullenly, he stumbles over a loose paving stone. The second neighbor doesn’t hesitate for a moment and reaches out his hand. “Are you okay? Happy New Year, neighbor,” he says.
At that moment, the fallen man has to make a split-second decision. Will he let go of the old bitterness of 2025 and take the outstretched hand of 2026? And that is precisely where the shoe pinches. Do we cling to our own righteousness, or do we have the courage to take the other person’s hand again?
Embracing a new situation
Leaving the old behind and embracing the new situation — that’s a really good resolution. You can compare it to a heavy travel bag full of stones that you drag around with you everywhere you go. Those stones are the conflicts and resentment in your heart. If you want to make 2026 lighter for yourself, you have to throw that ballast overboard. That is a choice of your heart, a conscious choice of your will.
The Bible also talks about that ballast. About resentment, for example. Resentment is such a strange thing: it only affects you. You are stuck in your own righteousness, angry at the whole world, at your neighbor, or perhaps at your partner. And in the end, it only comes at the expense of your own peace of mind.
Colossians 3:13 states it very clearly: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Dare to close chapters
We must dare to close chapters. Chapters that may have been dominating your life for far too long. Perhaps you are coming out of a difficult divorce, you missed out on a promotion, or there has been a nasty family dispute over an inheritance. That hurts, I understand. But if you continue to hold on to that pain, you will carry it with you into the new year.
Isaiah 43:18 reminds us: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing.” God wants you to let go of that old baggage. That also applies to feelings of guilt. Maybe you made a huge mistake last year, something you deeply regret. You can continue to torment yourself about it for years to come, but know this: there is grace. If God forgives you, why shouldn’t you forgive yourself? Draw a line under it.
Stop doing that
And let’s also look at how we allow ourselves to be influenced by others. When I walk outside, I see almost everyone staring at their cell phones. I am surprised, to say the least, when I see a mother walking with a stroller who only has eyes for her screen instead of her child. But it’s not just those screens; it’s also the opinions of others on social media that hold us captive.
We compare our own lives to the beautiful pictures of others. Stop doing that. Your life is just as valuable and blessed by God.
The same goes for jealousy. If your neighbor buys a new car, be genuinely happy for him, even if you drive an older model and a smaller car. Jealousy eats you up inside. Be content with your own path, your own life. As Galatians 6:4 (BGT) says: “ Take a critical look at the things you do. Maybe you can be proud of yourself sometimes.” Look at the beautiful things happening in your life.
The year 2026 lies before you like a blank page in your diary. Don’t let that page be filled with old quarrels, regrets, or chaos again. Focus on the hope and energy that God wants to give you. Enter this new year with peace and joy. Take God’s hand and say, “Lord, pull me across the border this year, so that I can truly leave the old behind.”
@wimvanputten