With every new year, comes the ever popular “New Year’s Resolution” . It has become custom to ask our friends and family members about their resolutions for the upcoming year. Is it to eat better, or exercise more? Is it to save money or to spend more time with family? Resolutions are amazing. God’s word says “Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18. We need visions, goals and dreams to move forward in life. Without them, we get caught in a cycle of repetition. There is no drive, or determination and we settle for “what is” God does not want us to settle for that. We have a forward moving Father who is always ahead of us. He has plans and goals for us that we have yet to experience. He has set out a path and prepared a way for us to follow. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10. We have a choice when we are making our plans and our resolutions this year. We can choose to follow the path that has already been established by God or we can take the road paved by our own will and wisdom.
Success and vision is possible on our own. We can do it without God. We can put ourselves first rather than His Kingdom. There are plenty of very “successful” people who have relied on their own abilities. By the sweat of their brow they have worked and planned. Some have even relied on manipulation, deception or deceit to get ahead. However, no matter how much they gained in this world, without God, there is still a feeling of emptiness. Their lives are never truly filled with joy and contentment. They have missed out on the blessings that come when you seek the Lord for direction and guidance. Billy Graham said it wonderfully “ Life is a glorious opportunity, if it is used to condition us for eternity. If we fail in this, though we succeed in everything else, our life will have been a failure.”
There is a tremendous advantage and reward when we choose to rely on the Lord when setting out on a path. If we fully trust in Him to guide us and direct us, then we know the way we are led, is the way of glory and blessings. We must use our faith in God to know that what is set before us is His will, even if we may not completely understand it at the time. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8-9 God wants you to win at the end of your journey. He wants you to have a successful life that ultimately leads to an eternity in heaven with Him. We must believe that we are going to win in this life. We have to make a plan, with our Father leading us and guiding us to prosper and reach our goals. In Jeremiah 29:11 it tells us “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Begin to trust Him with your plans and seek Him today, this week, this month and this year. Become aware of His plans by asking Him to reveal those things he has already prepared for you. He will lead you and guide you into prosperity, hope and a future. We can’t wait to see what He does for you in 2023 and beyond.
Until next time, remember,
Stay Calm and Be Empowered.
