AS WE SEE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE TIMES WE LIVE IN, IT CAN GET HARDER AND HARDER TO JUST SLOW IT DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK OVER THE PAST YEAR AND MEDITATE ON IT.
IT HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING ONE FOR SURE…MANY NEW ADVENTURES , STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES HAVE FACED US ALL.
WE ARE SO IN THE HABIT OF MAKING AND THINKING ABOUT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AND MAKING A FRESH START. WE THINK ABOUT OUR SUCCESSES OR FAILURES AND START SETTING UP GOALS OR PROJECTS FOR THE NEW YEAR. WE HEAR ALL THE TIME OF ‘I WILL GET TO IT AFTER THE HOLIDAYS’. IT CAN BE TO START EATING HEALTHIER OR START GOING TO THE GYM OR EVEN VOW TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY OR START A NEW JOB .
WHATEVER IT MAY BE WE ARE SO WANTING TO PUT THE PAST BEHIND AND START WITH A WHOLE NEW BEGINNING OR OUTLOOK COME JANUARY.
I AM SO GUILTY OF THE OUTLOOK BEING MORE PHYSICAL OR OUTWARD RESOLUTIONS OR GOALS BUT I AM REMINDED WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT AND TO SET OUR PRIORITIES IN THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE.
AS I SPEND MY QUIET TIME ALONE WITH THE LORD, HE GENTLY REMINDS ME JUST HOW TEMPORARY OUR LIFE IS HERE. IT’S JUST BUT A VAPOR. AND THE THINGS WE MAY HOLD OF IMPORTANCE WILL ONLY FADE. IT’S THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ETERNAL AND WILL LAST FOREVER THAT IS WHERE OUR HEART SHOULD LEAN TO.
THINGS SUCH AS FAMILY AND SHOWING THE LOVE OF CHRIST TO OTHERS, BRINGING OTHERS CLOSER TO CHRIST, AND PLANTING SEEDS FOR HIS KINGDOM . OUR ETERNAL RESIDENCE AND THOSE WHO WE TOUCH ALONG THIS JOURNEY SHOULD BE IN OUR FOCUS.
WHERE WE LAY UP OUR TREASURES….THE WORLD WE LIVE IN CAN BE SO UPSIDE DOWN AS FAR AS WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND CONSIDERED SUCCESS..WHEN OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON WHAT THE LORD DESIRES. WE SHOULD ONLY STRIVE TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST AND NOT AN IMITATION OF SOMEONE ELSE. WHAT BETTER ROLE MODEL TO HAVE THAN THE LORD.
HE HAS GIVEN US ALL A PURPOSE AND PARTICULAR GIFTS TO FULFILL THAT PURPOSE WITH HIS GUIDANCE. TO FOCUS MORE ON HIS AGENDA VS OUR OWN IS WHERE WE WILL FIND OUR TRUE FULFILLMENT.
YES WE CAN SET GOALS, RESOLUTIONS AND CHECKLISTS, BUT SO MANY TIMES AFTER A MONTH WE FAIL AND ARE HAVING TO START OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO DO IT IN OUR OWN STRENGTH.
NOW WITH ALL THOSE PROJECTS, GOALS, ASPIRATIONS…..IF WE PUT IT IN THE LORD’S HANDS AND ASK HIM TO HELP US REACH THOSE GOALS THE OUTCOME MAY BE PUT IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AS I AM GETTING OLDER I HAVE PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS AND GOALS AND MY WANTS OR DESIRES HAVE CHANGED. AS WE ENTER EVERY NEW SEASON IN OUR LIVES OUR PERSPECTIVES AND LISTS CHANGE.
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
MY EYES ARE MORE SET ON THE ETERNAL THINGS……THE INWARD MAN OR WOMAN WHICH WILL NEVER DIE BUT BEING RENEWED DAILY AND WILL GO ON FOR EVER. THE THINGS WE DO IN THE HERE AND NOW WILL BE A MAJOR PART OF THAT .
THE MATERIALISTIC WORLD WE LIVE IN WHICH IS FLOODED DAILY WITH TV, SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC. CAN BLIND US TO WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THOSE THINGS THAT WILL NEVER RUST OR DECAY. ONE MINUTE TO BE ALL EXCITING, SHINY AND NEW TO THE NEXT WE ARE BORED AND OVER IT WAITING FOR THE NEXT BEST THING. THAT’S THE MEDIA AND THE COMMERCIALISM AND THE TRUE JOB OF ADVERTISERS TO SELL US ON THE NEXT NEW THING AND THE NEW YEAR’S UPCOMING INCENTIVES AND PRODUCTS.
Matthew 6:19+20 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.…
I AM SPEAKING TO MYSELF AND HOPEFULLY AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS STRUGGLED WITH NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS OR GOALS AND HAVE FELT THE PAIN OF FAILURE. TO SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU.TO ASK THE LORD TO SHOW YOU WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT AND TO HAVE HIM CUT AWAY ANYTHING THAT IS NOT IN HIS BEST INTEREST FOR YOU AND ASK HIM TO ALIGN YOU TO WORK TOWARDS THOSE THINGS HE HAS PURPOSED FOR YOU, TO BRING HIM GLORY AND TO FULFILL HIS GREAT COMMISSION. TO SET OUR PRIORITIES ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN FOR OUR LIVES.
AS ALWAYS I ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE FELT LIKE NOTHING BUT A FAILURE IN EVERYTHING. IF YOU TRY OVER AND OVER AGAIN ONLY TO GET KNOCKED DOWN…REACH OUT TO THE ONE WHO WILL GIVE YOU A FRESH START, A NEW BEGINNING FOR A NEW YEAR! WHAT BETTER WAY TO START OUT WITH A NEW RECORD AND LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND. HE WILL GIVE YOU A NEW PERSPECTIVE AND SHOW YOU THE DIRECTION YOU ARE TO GO AND WILL BE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY FOREVER. I WILL LEAVE THIS SIMPLE PRAYER BUT REALLY ITS FROM YOUR HEART AND HE KNOWS AND SEES YOUR SURRENDER IN YOUR OWN WAY AND WORDS.
IN HIS LOVE,
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