Around the world throughout this week, people will be looking back at the highs and lows of 2005 and deciding what direction they'd like to take in the year ahead.

Yet too much wistful thinking can lead us down a never-ending road of regret and recrimination. Somewhere, we must draw a line under the past and move forward, with faith and hope that Someone up there is watching over his world and will help us not just to survive but to overcome.

A verse of scripture comes to mind: 'Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it will be richly rewarded.' (Hebrews 10:35).

The writer is speaking to the members of the early Christian church. 'Don't lose your confident belief in what Christ has done for you,' he's telling them. 'Don't let life push you around. Realise who you are - and whose you are - and move forward with boldness.'

Many normally irreligious people are willing to give at least a little thought to the spiritual state of their lives during the Christmas season; to reflect on what Christian ideas might mean to them.

I think, though, that the celebration of the New Year is an even better time for this. If there's one thing that the New Testament of the Bible tells us it's that faith can bring enormous boldness. Faith is about looking forward to a better future and taking risks to make our hopes into realities.

Faith is built on hope - it treats things which are not yet seen as though they are (Hebrews 11). It looks for the future fulfilment of God's good and gracious promises.

When faith is part of everyday life, the hope that accompanies New Year can be more of a year-round sensation - and the fear which sometimes surrounds the New Year period can become a thing of the past.