“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11(NLT)
The Words of God in Jeremiah 29:11 have been a theme for many of us this year. We spent a lot of time trying to catch up with the life this verse describes, and now that another year has passed, we find that our efforts were a bit disappointing. It’s left us bewildered and exhausted. We tried our best, but as we examine where we are today, it feels like we’re in almost the same place we were 365 days ago. We may be thinking, “This isn’t a good look!”, and the question on our minds is how much longer it will take for things to turn around. Believe it or not, the answer to this question points us in the right direction of faith. If we didn’t know that God has a good plan for us or have knowledge of His promises, we wouldn’t be disappointed. The truth is that deep down, we believe in His good plan for our lives. We’re expecting Him to honor His promises and bless us. We want every drop of Jeremiah 29:11 manifesting in our lives, but we want it on our timetable so we can kick this struggling business to the curb.
Proverbs 19:21(NLT) is another verse that is always on the team of inspiration and instruction when it comes to welcoming another New Year. It says, “You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” This verse makes it clear that there can be tension between our plans and the Lord’s purpose. It also makes it clear which one will win. The tension exists totally on our end, and it’s due mostly to impatience and a lack of knowledge about God’s Word. As a new year begins, most of us come up with new resolutions that we think will make our lives better. It’s in our nature to make plans for the future. That’s what we do. Some may be good and some not so much, but these are the plans in our hearts. God lets us know in Proverbs 19:21 that every plan we make must bow to His wisdom, purpose, and Will. He’s the One with the plan for our lives, not us, and very often we overlook this.
God doesn’t give us a Plan B; He doesn’t need to. His plan is the only one, and it is best. So, we’re not supposed to be searching here and there trying to fill a void. We’re supposed to be seeking Him. He’s made things very simple, and it shouldn’t be as hard as we make it. God didn’t put us on earth to try to force square pegs into round holes, and we’re not here to try and make adjustments to His plan. Yes, life can be messy, and boy can it be disappointing, but that’s not God’s fault. It’s messy and disappointing because we haven’t trusted His Will as wholeheartedly as He requires; hence the struggle.
The psalmist said in Psalm 119:105(ESV), “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” This world is rocky terrain, so we should never expect it to be smooth sailing, but God has made a way through Jesus Christ for us to make the journey of life through His peace, love, and light. It requires us to be patient and stay in His Word. We struggle because we’re not fully surrendered in our minds and hearts to do the things God has told us to do, yet we still expect the rewards for diligence and faithfulness. In the new year, we should pray to God to help us grow in His wisdom so that our expectations are aligned with our commitment to follow the ways of Christ.
True faith means that we are resting in God, because we have confidence that He will supply our needs as we follow His Will. As God’s sons and daughters, we are called to go out into this dark world as ambassadors for Christ. God’s commandment in Psalm 119:105 is never go out without the light of His Word. Our Heavenly Father’s Word is the bright light that reveals the way, and if we follow it, we will not stumble. Many of us forget this as we embrace a new day. We wake up in the morning without praying to God and asking Him to take over our days. This might reveal that on a subconscious level, we think we can make it without His light. Life will prove differently.
Psalm 37:4(ESV) tells us, “Delight yourself in the LORD, And He will give you the desires of your heart.” We don’t have to feel let down and disappointed. The joy of the Lord is ours for the taking, but many of us won’t let ourselves bask in the overwhelming joy of Christ because of the struggle in our own minds. We’re not fully relying on our Heavenly Father and surrendering totally to Him. We’re struggling because our hearts are filled by our own desires and plans, but we have refused to acknowledge that this is so. Let’s pray that we do not spend another year with our hearts in this shape. Study God’s Word and let Him fill your heart with the wonder of His plan for you.
Our Heavenly Father knows that we want more out of life, but He wants us to understand that “the more” must first be evident in our faith and in our commitment to be obedient to His Word. Our prayers to obtain His blessings must be matched by our efforts and plans to go higher in Christ; this is what the New Year should be all about. The Apostle Paul encouraged us in 1Timothy 6:12 to fight the good fight of faith. He understood the battle in our minds. He knew that we struggle because we’re still doing the same things, yet we expect different results. The New Year no doubt will bring wonderful opportunities, but make no mistake, they will require us to strip off something that isn’t representative of the example of Christ and put on more of his love. We must be committed to decrease in the flesh and increase in the Spirit. When this is our motivation, life will be sweeter in the New Year. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“A Sweeter Life in the New Year” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.