It can be discouraging to realize that most new content is only old content. Very rarely does someone have a brand new idea, a completely new story idea, or a never-before-found life hack. Solomon wrote a long time ago that there is nothing new under the sun, things are just repackaged. Whether it’s investment strategies, or weight loss/exercise plans, or, even as Christians, how to live godly lives in the present age, most of the time what we get are reminders. There’s no new shortcut, there’s no hidden mystery, there is a lot of what we already knew.

I think one of the reason’s that’s discouraging is because that means I’m the one not doing what I already know. Most of the time I can’t blame how hard it is or how badly I failed on lack of information.

Yet what is maybe more discouraging is how easily I forget. That’s another way of saying that reading the same five principles or steps or encouragements is often good for me. I might have been looking for something other than reminders but what I actually needed was the reminders.

Peter wrote, “I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it is right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Peter 1:12-13).

He was reminding them about pursuing growth in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. We also need to be reminded about these qualities, reminded to confess our sin rather than blame our ignorance, and reminded that Christ died and rose again for our salvation. That’s old news, and very good news.