But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. - Psalm 73:28
I started out the year with the phrase “renewed purpose” but if I’m honest it didn’t really last that long. This year has definitely been a unique year. I started with the notion that this would be the year that life may get back on track or at least find the tracks. Yet….. let’s just say that isn’t exactly how the year went.
Interestingly enough, the definition of renewed played out to a T!
Renewed- the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again (Meriam Webster)
This year God has renewed me, not necessarily the ”new” I was thinking of but He has absolutely kept me in the state of being made new. Part of this renewing came in the form of learning to adjust my schedule (a lot) and learning to do things differently. God has redefined what strong means in my life, causing me to seek a fresh perspective on who God designed me to be.
While having a “renewed purpose” wasn’t exactly what I gleaned from this past year, being renewed in ways I didn’t like or appreciate (at first) has proven out. Isn’t that so true for most of our lives? We spend so much time trying to change or get out of difficulties rather than embracing them and letting God show us what we need to learn or grow through in each one. Learning to pause and see the beauty in the difficulties, the joy in leaning on Him for everything, the hope of a better day to come when the one you are in feels impossible… all of these are ways God renews us through the years.
So, as I reflect back on my phrase, I see that God is often using the uncomfortable to refine us in places we didn’t even know needed refining. I am learning that He takes things that we may hold to be good traits and humbles us to see where we were failing to be renewed by Him and trusting in ourselves.
What will 2023 hold???!!!??? I have no idea but for this year, I’m just going to settle in and let God take me where He wants and show me how to fulfill the call He has for my life. I’m going to keep moving forward even when the journey is slow and frustrating.
This year I’m going to daily remind myself that even if things don’t seem good and my body doesn’t want to cooperate and people around me fall away……God IS Good and that is more than enough!!
Praise ye the LORD: for [it is] good to sing praises unto our God; for [it is] pleasant; [and] praise is comely. - Psalm 147:1
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