New Year, (Brand) New You

Singer/songwriter Ben Rector is known for his unique piano-driven fusion of rock, folk and pop influences. His catchy melodies and powerful lyrics make for songs that you want to sing along to when you’re in the shower or driving in the car. One such song, Brand New, is especially catchy…

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh,oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

I feel like new sunglasses, like a brand new pair of jeans 

I feel like taking chances, I feel a lot like seventeen

Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves! Beyond its contagious joy, this song has a noteworthy backstory. In 2015, Ben Rector’s fame was growing exponentially, attributed in large part to his intense touring schedule and quick record releases. However, the fame had a downside that left Rector feeling exhausted and burnt out.

When he sat down to work on a new album, he wanted to recapture some of the joy, enthusiasm and energy when he first started making music. This was the framework that led Ben to write the song Brand New, which quickly became one of his top hits. If you have listened to it, you would probably agree that the song carries an enthusiasm that mimics all the feels of new beginnings and fresh starts.

While we may not all be pop stars or public figures, many of us can relate to the same experiences of burnout that Ben Rector was going through prior to recording this song. In fact, maybe some of us are entering this New Year feeling some weariness right now. At a time when so many are making resolutions to conquer the next hill in life, whether it be a professional, personal, health or other goal, some of us are entering the year simply treading water. Is this you?

If so, maybe you can resonate with King David’s words in Psalm 51:12 when he prayed:

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Regardless of where we are in our spiritual journey, we can lose the joy of our salvation from time to time. This often occurs during times of fatigue or when the cares of the world and the burdens of stress and anxiety weigh us down. When this happens, we may feel the need to do more to pick ourselves up and recapture that former joy, but in reality, the key is not in doing but in being. Being, or abiding, is a posture that allows God to pour back into us.

Whether it’s through times of prayer, connecting with him in the Word or retreating for rest, when we abide in Jesus, we allow space for him to enter our lives in fresh, new ways, restoring to us the joy of our salvation. As it says in Romans 5:10, having been reconciled to God by Jesus, we shall be saved through his life! The love of God that caused Jesus to die for us is the same love that gives us the presence and power of God every day to help us in every way. Let’s make this a year of abiding, a year to recapture the joy of our salvation. Let’s get made brand new!