Happy New Year, Boys’ Brigade Queensland family!
As we step into 2026, a line from the modern Christmas classic Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon keeps echoing in my mind:
So, this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Hearing this song again at the Melbourne Carols by Candlelight pushed me to reflect—not on Christmas Day itself, but on how we used the year that just passed and how we will use the year ahead.
As we turn the page on 2025, I want to thank each of you for making the year so memorable. What a year it was! I could list the blessings and successes we experienced, but I’ll leave that to our Annual Report. The truth is simple: 2025 is finished. And as my calendar clicks over to 2026, I feel a fresh sense of anticipation for a year filled with possibilities, challenges, and blessings.
New Year Resolutions
At the risk of sounding controversial, I don’t make New Year’s resolutions or set yearly goals. I absolutely believe in entering a new year with purpose, but resolutions often create hidden traps. Many are overly ambitious or vague, and when progress slows, frustration quickly follows. This “all‑or‑nothing” mindset breeds guilt and discouragement, and we often abandon the goals altogether. Even more importantly, resolutions can limit us—locking us into expectations that leave little room for growth when life shifts.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve started each year with what I call a Proverbs 3 mindset:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord for Direction
Instead of creating a list of my priorities for the year, I choose to trust the Lord to show me the path ahead as I seek His will. The challenge, of course, is that the Lord doesn’t send me His list on January 1. I have to wait for Him to reveal His priorities in His timing. And yes, the cliché is true: God’s timing is always perfect.
Does this mean I never have a list to “focus my energies”? Yes.
Will some things I thought were priorities won’t get done this year? Yes.
Does this mean interruptions or delays might shift my plans? Yes.
Wait for the Lord
But here’s what I’ve discovered: when I wait for the Lord to direct my steps, His timing brings a peace that “surpasses all understanding.” When He reveals His direction—through Scripture, a prompting in my heart, circumstances, confirmation from others, or countless other ways—I suddenly realise I’m walking the path He set for that moment.
And when He reveals a priority, it often just works. As Isaiah promises:
“Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
I pray that as you begin 2026, God plants His purpose firmly in your heart. May you find peace as you wait on Him to set your priorities for the year ahead. Or, to put it simply:
May your 2026 be directed—not planned.
JASON KNIGHT
President, The Boys’ Brigade Queensland