2023 Plans

 

Happy New Year!  Hard to believe that another year has passed by so quickly.  Once again, everything seemed like a blur in the journey of life.  There were good times and challenging times.  There were times of happiness and times of sadness.  There was loss and there was gain.  I know people who are ready to put 2022 behind them and move forward.  Others enjoyed all the moments of 2022 and would like to relive them again. 

From previous posts you may know I am not big on resolutions.  It is because I have set them over my years and have failed at most of them.   I have always looked to myself to see what goals I should set, what burdens I need to release, and what challenges I should face.  I have looked to ‘me’ to set my future!  I am certain I am not the only one who does that.  Self-talk such as “What changes should I make in my life?” “What should I pursue more of that I’m not doing today?” or my personal favorite, “What can I do to gain more happiness?” creep into my mind as I try to settle on new things for the future.  As I look over those questions, I become overwhelmed – the pressure to select just the right goals for the future.

Goals are wonderful as they can assist us in mapping out how to live our lives differently – whether personal or professional.  This year, I am going to look at this a bit differently, and not approach this from MY viewpoint, but from GOD’S viewpoint.   The verse for today is very dear to me – it is one that I tend to go to when I do not know where to turn.  We are not supposed to know our path – there is only One that knows about each turn we should make and each goal we should set.  The plans and goals for me are known by Our Creator, the One that knows all.  When I read and meditate on this verse, it points out to me over and over again the path I need to take – the one that follows God.

Should be easy, right?  I find it difficult. Releasing my life fully to God sounds risky.  Does He really have everything planned out – my hope, my future, my life?  Here is the good word my friends, HE DOES!  If we believe in our Lord, we will know that He brings to us all that we need – and much more.  He lays our future out for us.  He lets us see the journey ahead of us.  He provides us hope.  I think we could all use more hope these days.  God only asks one thing from us – to have simple faith that He is our provider, that He is our savior, that He loves us more than anyone else.  Simple faith will bring us our journey.

Through the encouragement of another, I am selecting one verse this year that I am going to pray on and rest in.  This year, for me, it is Jeremiah 29:11.  I am going to hold close this verse to my heart and ask God to reveal to me HIS plan, HIS hope, HIS future.  Yes, I will set goals, but I will do so with my Holy Father, not on my own accord.  This will not be easy for me, and it may not be easy for you.  Letting go is hard.  Yet, when God is in the driver’s seat, our destination will always be the right one.  Happy New Year!

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us that YOU have our plan for us, and you are more than eager to share that plan with us.  We need to have simple faith that you will deliver – and you always do.  Grant us our plan, our hope, for the new year and beyond.  Amen!