Out with the New! In with the Old!

Out with the old! In with the new! 

We hear this refrain often, especially during the holiday season, as we prepare to welcome in a new year. Clean out those closets. Shed those lingering 10 pounds. Embrace a new approach or philosophy. 

I relish fresh starts and do-overs and welcome the annual opportunity to draw a line in the sand that separates the old from the new. But as 2019 dawns, my mantra this year is different. I’m turning Out with the Old. In with the New, upside down. Instead of looking for a new word to claim, a new approach to try, or a new favorite book, Bible study plan, or resolution, I’m looking to the old for my new year. 

Out with the New! In with the Old! is my plan for this year. Jeremiah 6:16 inspires my new/old approach: 

This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” 

As this year winds down, I’ve pondered deeply the winding path of my Christian journey. I’ve thought back to those times when I walked closest to the Lord and am recreating the patterns and habits that got me there. The old adage, “If you don’t feel close to God, guess who moved?” prompted me to ask myself, During those times of sweetest communion, what was I doing to connect with God? 

Here’s an example of what I’ve discovered: For most of our married life, my husband has worked for companies that required him to start work extremely early. After he left for work, usually by 5:45, I’d settle into my comfy recliner, grab my Bible and prayer journal, and spend time with the Lord. Because the rest of the world was silent and still, nothing disturbed or distracted me. My time with God was personal, interactive, and rich. 

Two years ago my husband changed jobs. For the first time in decades, he didn’t have to rise early. By default then, neither did I. I still read my Bible and prayed, but later in the morning, when the rest of the world was bustling about. 

Almost instantly I noticed a difference in my level of concentration. The light shining through my window drew my attention to household chores that needed to be done. The phone would ring, or a family member would text me. I’d catch myself making a mental grocery list when I was supposed to be praying. 

My quiet times got shorter and shorter. Sometimes I wouldn’t sit before the Lord at all. I’d listen to a passage of Scripture on my iPhone on the way to work. It was better than nothing, I reasoned. But not much. The quality of my prayer life suffered, too. My ability to hear God speak through the Bible and into my heart diminished. Maybe he was having a hard time catching me as I raced through my time with him. 

This gradual slide into a new routine was a bad one for me. I need the old routine again. And while I haven’t asked my husband to quit his job and go back to the old one (that would NOT be good), I’m again setting my alarm for the wee hours of the morning and rising to meet the Lord before the noise of the day intrudes. As author/speaker Becky Tirabassi said, “It’s better to be sleep-deprived than God-deprived.” 

This is an example from my life of how the old ways can be superior to the new ways. Your new/old ways may look completely different. I encourage you to take some time this holiday season, get alone with God and yourself, and evaluate your life. Are there old ways you’ve forsaken that might be worth revisiting? If you ask the Lord to show you, he will. Then be quick to obey what he tells you to do. 

May we all draw closer than ever to the Lord in 2019. Happy New Year!

Now it's your turn. How have you found the old ways superior to the new in your spiritual life? Leave a comment below and join the conversation. If you're reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and share your thoughts.