Did we remember God?
January is always the month of fresh starts. We make New Year’s resolutions. We try to break bad habits and adopt new healthy ones. We strive for a better life. But I started to wonder. Are you going to let God guide you in the new year?
Who better to turn to for guidance regarding our goals than God? We want blog posts and Instagram reels, but what about going directly to the Father? God is the source of our very being, and we know this deep down. However, we have been very successful in distracting from this truth. I know I have been guilty many times. I’m too afraid to listen to God. What if I’m too scared? What if it’s difficult?
We cannot let these fears get in the way of God’s perfect plan for us. If you haven’t done so already, invite him to join you this new year. Turn your plans and desires over to God and trust Him to guide your steps. He will be!
Historically, humanity has been more successful in moving away from God than in drawing closer to Him. This theme is found throughout the Old and New Testaments and is still seen today, but don’t despair. This diagnosis does not have to be terminal.
When we give God responsibility for our lives, we can be sure of two things. His ways will be contrary to the world’s ways, and we will be exactly where we are supposed to be and do exactly what we are supposed to do. I don’t know about you, but that truth excites me.
our example of justice
God has provided all people with what they need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3-4). Isn’t that encouraging? One of them is God’s Word. From Genesis to Revelation, we have been given examples of how wicked humans are, but God has also given us examples of people who are called righteous. These are examples for us to follow.
Although our primary example is always Christ, it is helpful to see imperfect people follow God’s ways.
The first example of a righteous man that we can relate to is Abraham. Obviously, he wasn’t perfect. We have a record of how many times he lied out of fear, yet God called him righteous. What did Abraham do to be considered righteous? Even though he was given very vague instructions, he trusted God. He let God guide him.
“The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your hometown, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to a land that I will show you’ (Genesis 12:1, NIV). And Abraham did it without hesitation. According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary, Abraham is known as the epitome of faith. They said, ‘Faith obeys God.’
Without obedience, faith and trust are just words.
Abram, or Abraham (later known as Abraham), is a great example of what our faith is like. Like us, he was an imperfect human being, but God called him righteous. “And Abram believed in the Lord, and the Lord counted him righteous because of his faith” (Genesis 15:6, NIV). Like us, Abram questioned God about some things and doubted others, but God focused on Abraham’s faith. He also looks out for us.
Another imperfect example of what our faith should be is Moses. Unlike Abraham, Moses had many questions and doubts about God’s call on his life. The two have different personalities. But we can note their similarities and learn from them.
These two men trusted God enough to obey Him, even though they made mistakes. They both invited God into their lives and let Him guide them. We both had our moments of weakness, but we also had our victories in the Lord. A victory that remains in my memory even today! (There are several other Old Testament characters who fit this model.)
Sometimes my faith is strong and confident. There is not an ounce of fear in my body because I am sure of what God is going to do. I love those times, but more often I experience fear and doubt. You can relate. The good news is that, just like Abraham and Moses, God counts our obedience as faith.
All the struggles we go through as we follow God are worth it.
How to trust God in the new year
I learned that trusting God comes from knowing Him better. You can’t really trust someone you don’t know. When I was young, I knew I needed to put my life in God’s hands, but I was too scared. Maybe there’s a scary part of you?
As an experienced follower of Christ, I now wonder why I was afraid to trust God. The answer is because I didn’t know the Lord very well. I knew He was real and I knew about Him, but I didn’t know Him personally. God invites each of us into a personal relationship with Him, and we must say “Yes.”
The more we know God, the more we trust Him. The more we trust God, the more we will obey Him. The more we follow Him, the more we will see Him move. It all starts with the realization that God has the best plan for our lives and this world. Only when we submit to God do we begin to understand this life.
After we surrender to the idea that God knows best, our natural next step is to discern God’s ways. We can learn in church, Bible studies, podcasts, etc., but we must study God’s Word. This is non-negotiable because without God’s Word we have no foundation of truth. God’s Word tells us to be on guard, test our spirits, and turn away from false prophets (1 John 4:1). If you don’t know what’s true and what’s false, you can’t do anything.
The thought of letting God guide you through the year can be overwhelming. Understood. In addition to surrendering your will, allowing God to guide you requires time. If you’re like me, you might be obsessed with the passage of time. Perhaps you feel like you don’t have enough time to accomplish everything you want to do. I understand that feeling.
When time becomes stressful, I try to remember that God lives outside of time. (Psalm 90:2) God knows all things and sees all things. Then I remembered that I only need to do what God wants me to do, no one else.
Please make a list of your goals for the new year and submit it to the Lord. Write down everything you spend your time doing each week. Speak to the Lord and confess with your mouth that you want His will to be done in your life. Ask God if He wants you to make any changes to your schedule or commitments. Thank God for guiding your steps and praise him for his faithfulness.
I pray that we can confidently place our plans before the Lord and invite Him in. The Lord loves us. I pray that we would apply our faith obediently to the Word of the Lord. When we invite God into the new year, we are essentially putting away our plates, wiping a blank slate clean, and asking God to fill it. I couldn’t ask for a better fresh start.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Milko
Vanessa Lu is a wife, mother, and faith-based writer. She speaks and writes to encourage believers to truly live with God.
