The Two Ways, How to Get Off to a Good Start This Year

Every new year feels like standing in the starting blocks. You can sense the tension. You want to move forward, but questions crowd your mind. Do I have what it takes? Am I already behind? What if I stumble again?

We hear the phrase all the time, life is a marathon. That is true. But there are moments when life feels like a sprint. And in a sprint, the start matters. You do not win the race in the first few seconds, but you can lose it there.

Scripture gives clear guidance for how to begin well. In Ephesians 5:15 to 17, we are urged to live with care, to make the most of our time, and to understand the will of the Lord. From that passage, three simple practices rise to the surface, and they shape a strong start for the year ahead.

1. Evaluate Your Life with Honesty

The scripture begins with a strong word, be very careful how you live. That calls for evaluation. Not rushing. Not adding more. Stopping long enough to look at what is shaping your days.

Most of us are good at accumulation. We add commitments, habits, noise, and pressure. We are less practiced at subtraction. Evaluation asks better questions.

What drained you last year?

What gave you life?

What pulled you closer to God and the people you love?

What quietly increased your anxiety?

Evaluation is not about guilt. It is about clarity. When you slow down long enough to ask God what needs to stay and what needs to go, you begin the year with wisdom instead of momentum.

2. Engage the Opportunities in Front of You

The passage continues with a call to make the most of every opportunity. That requires engagement. Not waiting. Not blaming circumstances. Stepping forward.

No one owes us anything. Each day is a gift. Opportunities will come through work, family, relationships, and service. Some are meant to be embraced. Others are meant to be declined. Wisdom is learning the difference.

Engagement means opening your eyes to what God has placed directly in front of you and choosing faithfulness there. It is easy to fixate on what you cannot control. It is far more fruitful to act on what you can.

3. Embrace God’s Will as Revealed in His Word

The final instruction is clear, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Many people treat God’s will as hidden or mysterious. In reality, most of what we need to know is already revealed.

God’s will is found in God’s Word. That is why Scripture matters. It shapes our decisions, our priorities, and our direction. When you anchor your life in truth, confusion begins to lose its grip.

This is also where grace enters the picture. Starting well does not mean starting perfectly. Many of us stumble out of the blocks. The good news is that God supplies grace for the race. You are not running on your own strength.

A Simple Next Step

As the year begins, press pause. Create space to pray. Ask God to help you evaluate, engage, and embrace. You may be sprinting right now, or you may be settling into a long stretch of endurance. Either way, a thoughtful start makes a difference.

You are in the blocks. The race has already begun. And by God’s grace, it is not too late to start well.