Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
It seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by. And here we are - getting ready to head into a new year. So many times we hear people say, "I'm so ready for this year to be over!" You may have even said it yourself.
As we make plans for the new year, perhaps listing resolutions, we have to ask ourselves this question: Where are we in life? Have we been sidelined by a physical illness or emotional injury? Did we decide to take a shortcut along the way and then miss our turn? Were we distracted from our directions and then had to detour? Did we promote someone in our lives to traffic control who had no business blowing a whistle and telling us where to go? How about this - are we only focusing on the tough things that happened this past year?
Today's Promise is one of Paul's greatest teachings - I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead... Let's not focus on what we've lost. Rather, let's thank God for what we had for as long as we had it. If you're going to look back, I challenge you to look for the good because there's plenty of it. Square one - God is still on His throne. You're still breathing. He still has a plan and purpose for your life - plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Prayer:
Father,
We pray this prayer from Guideposts, make our new year a happy one. Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain, but by strengthening us to bear it if it comes. Not by making our path easy, but by making us sturdy enough to tread any path. Not by taking hardship from us, but by taking all cowardice and fear from our hearts as we meet hardships. Not by granting us unbroken sunshine, but by keeping our face bright even in the shadows. Not by making our life always pleasant, but by showing us where men and His cause need us most and by making us zealous to be there and to help. God, make our year a happy one. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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