Preparing for 2014 with God

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.   Ephesians 3:20-21  NIV

   The end of the year is a natural time to reflect.  It is also a great time to imagine what life could be like as we partner with God in the coming year.  This gives us a vision of the good God wants to accomplish in us and it increases our motivation to partner with Him.

  What would it look like if you partnered with God as he works to fill you with His goodness?    What would it look like if you partnered with God to love your wife as Christ loved the church?  What would it look like if you fully believed God's unfailing love for you rather than trying to live up to the world's ever-changing standards of beauty?  What would it look like if you partnered with God to nurture your children and have regular conversations about God with them?  What would it look like if you partnered with God to treasure Him and let go of material things as your hope for peace and happiness?  What would it look like if your life was filled more and more with God’s peace?

   Partnering with God includes a simple trust that He is with you and He is working in you for your good.  This week, set aside some time to write down some “belief” statements about what you will believe about partnering with God in 2014.  For example:

   - I believe that God will fill me with more and more of His goodness.

   - I believe that God will help me pray with my kids.

   - I believe that God will help me be more generous like Him.

   - I believe that God will help me rest in His peace and trust His wisdom.

After you have had time to reflect on the beliefs you have written down, you can set some reachable goals for partnering with God.   All you need is simple next steps to help you move forward with Him.  Don’t be discouraged by stumbling or struggling.   These are opportunities for our trust in God to grow stronger.  Simply confess your failure to God and ask for grace to cooperate more with His good work in you.  You’ll be encouraged by how partnering with God helps you move farther forward than if you had just set goals by yourself.

Profitable Pondering

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”     Hebrews 12:3  NIV

   

    Consider.  Ponder.  Reflect.  Contemplate.  We don’t do much of these and I believe that’s just the way the devil likes it.  The less we think about what we do, the more likely it is that we will get stuck in some difficult and discouraging ruts.

    We should expect difficulty because Jesus faced strong opposition in his pursuit of living to please the Father in a broken and selfish world.  For sure, we will get wonderful tastes of kingdom life while we live on this planet.  We will enjoy samples of what it will be like to live in God’s presence forever.  The more we learn to trust God, the greater our experience will be, even in the middle of this broken world. 

    But it is this broken world that can discourage us and derail us.  It can cause us to “grow weary and lose heart.”  Our best defense against this is to take time to ponder Christ’s life.  He went through persecution and loneliness and dealt with stubborn disciples because the eternal gain was worth the struggle.  This week, set aside some quiet time to ponder what Christ went through for you.   Renew your belief that these battles against sin and suffering are worth fighting and that he wants to give you his strength to fight them.

Sowing and Reaping

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.      Galatians 6:7-8   ESV

   Scripture is clear that the choices we make determine the character and the fruit of our lives.  We can choose our choices, but we can’t choose the consequences of our choices.  We will reap what we sow. 

   Reflection is a helpful spiritual practice in which we partner with God to examine the character and fruit that have been produced in our lives by the choices we have made.  If we like what we see when we reflect on our lives, then we can keep making the same choices with our time and other resources.  If we don’t like what we see, then we must make different choices.

   This week, set aside 20-30 minutes for quietness and reflection, perhaps with a walk outside to help clear your mind.  As you begin reflecting, consider the verses above and ask God to help you understand  how the choices you have made have determined the life you are living.   Ask him to give you the wisdom to understand what choices in your life need to change.  Believe that God wants to help you.  When you have finished your time of reflection, take a few moments to write down what you have discovered and ask God to give you strength and courage to follow through on new choices that will help develop the life of Christ in you.