New Year, Old Truth
There was no heartbreak and no joy in 2013 that God didn't plan for and lead you through.
And there won't be any heartbreak or joy in 2014 that God isn't planning for or won't lead you through.
We mark time this way, in years, and we make all these resolutions every go-round. But the trick to it all is just plain faithfulness.
There's not a whole lot in this life we can plan for. It won't stop us from trying, but it's true. I think there are directions God wants us to travel in, attitudes he wants in our hearts, but he won't measure the success of our years by the resolutions we kept or the goals we attained. He won't count up the times we were derailed by tragedy or failure as through they detract from our grade point average. The world works this way, and so do our heads. But we have life wrong when we count up the wins and losses. We have grace wrong, and growth and meaning and all the really important things.
I like New Years. I like resolutions and I'm pretty darned self-disciplined when it comes to that. But I sometimes get disillusioned with our capacity to make real change for ourselves, so it gives me hope to remember that:
"The Christian life is a long obedience in the same direction."
This is a marathon. It's a long race, and we're just getting started. Don't count your successes and failures as the measure of your 2013. Just see through them God's hand and his presence. Begin to track his moves as your life takes shape, year after year. Pick a direction to move in, perhaps, like openness or truth-telling or bravery, and listen to the attitudes God is asking you to adopt.
But it's a long road, and perfection isn't the end of it. At least, not for 2014.
He knows what's coming to us and he's gearing up for it already. Just watch. Wait a little. Move a little. And be faithful.
And there won't be any heartbreak or joy in 2014 that God isn't planning for or won't lead you through.
We mark time this way, in years, and we make all these resolutions every go-round. But the trick to it all is just plain faithfulness.
There's not a whole lot in this life we can plan for. It won't stop us from trying, but it's true. I think there are directions God wants us to travel in, attitudes he wants in our hearts, but he won't measure the success of our years by the resolutions we kept or the goals we attained. He won't count up the times we were derailed by tragedy or failure as through they detract from our grade point average. The world works this way, and so do our heads. But we have life wrong when we count up the wins and losses. We have grace wrong, and growth and meaning and all the really important things.
I like New Years. I like resolutions and I'm pretty darned self-disciplined when it comes to that. But I sometimes get disillusioned with our capacity to make real change for ourselves, so it gives me hope to remember that:
"The Christian life is a long obedience in the same direction."
This is a marathon. It's a long race, and we're just getting started. Don't count your successes and failures as the measure of your 2013. Just see through them God's hand and his presence. Begin to track his moves as your life takes shape, year after year. Pick a direction to move in, perhaps, like openness or truth-telling or bravery, and listen to the attitudes God is asking you to adopt.
But it's a long road, and perfection isn't the end of it. At least, not for 2014.
He knows what's coming to us and he's gearing up for it already. Just watch. Wait a little. Move a little. And be faithful.
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