It’s a brand new day. Wait a minute. . .it’s a brand new year! What are you going to do? What did last year teach you about life? What steps may need to shift in order to begin a different path?
Finances, health, attitude, status, etc. Most people pick 1+ from this list. We tend to reflect on the past year with negative perspective in order to condemn and berate self into becoming a “better” person the upcoming days. We give power to each goal, thinking it will bring happiness; then, place large amounts of pressure on self each day to attain lofty goals. Envision what life would look like if that goal were reached. . .
Would you truly be happy? Or, would you just be a smaller size with a heavy heart? Would you be out of debt but swimming in pain? Would you be smiling on the outside while burying discontent with self? The list can go on and on and on. . .
I think I am going to throw away all of that stuff and PLAY this year! Finances, let them go. Health, it will all be good. Attitude, which will come. Status, no worries there. I have been observing over the holiday break, especially since life knocked me down with a virus. I watched my children run around, laugh hard enough to bring tears, rest and enjoy every moment given. How can they have so much joy while this life brings much trial, trouble and tribulation everywhere you turn?
They play. They hold responsibilities, get chores done, help whenever asked and take care of their health each day; yet, never lose joy. They play. So, I am going to mimic them and PLAY this year.
Pray with focused purpose. I am going to diligently lift up individuals with exact purpose. I am going to place all the worries of this world, the troubles in my heart and the emotions stirring in His hands. He wants them anyway. He does not intend for us to face any of this alone. When trying to go at this world under fleshly strength, failure will always result. Choosing goals to attain this year under fleshly perspective lead us to overwhelming pressures our shoulders cannot bear. No more of these games. I want to ask Him the path to take each day, everything else OF this world will fall into place.
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Luke 12:22
Learn something new each day. Not necessarily a life changing fact; but, just learn something each day. Maybe a fact that will assist me on the career path. Maybe an idea that will provide a connection to a loved one. Maybe a skill that allows me to engage in activity with the kids. Who knows? But, I want to learn something new each day.
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance— Proverbs 1:5
Act on the Scriptures read daily. I can read the Bible until I am blue in the face; but, lack of action keeps a Christian lukewarm. God does not accept lukewarm. I want to live it out. I want no doubt as to Who I serve when I walk into a room.
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16
Yearn for each moment. No more dread, regardless the situation. Every moment happens to benefit my life. Be it stormy, sunny or just a cloudy kind of day; each serves a mighty purpose in the story written for my life. A lesson needing learned, faith needing growth or pure enjoyment needing experienced. Whatever the case, I want to yearn to live it, not dread.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2
And, each moment. . .Keep praying harder than the devil can work!
Sheree Craig
