As we begin to usher in a new year, I'm wondering if we couldn't do that with a little more intention. A little more honesty. A little more hope. You see, I've met many people that have said, "I can't wait for this year to be over." "So ready for the new year, this year was rough." I get that, I really do. But what makes us even begin to believe next year will be different? What leads us down the path of thought that just because the calendar year changes so does our life? Friends, we have to be intentional. We have to be willing to have open ears, open hearts and stretched out hands to see what our reality is right now and how we can possibly change it. Yes, not everything is within our control but if you're like me, you can get caught in a cycle of redundant choices. You can become numb to not honoring your non negotiables. You ever watch HGTV and the shows where they go to massive garage sales or salvage places and maybe find an old glass antique vase and with some creativity turn it into a lamp? Or maybe they find old barnwood and create the most beautiful shelves out of it. You ever feel like you do that with yourself? You ever feel like your circumstances or disappointments make you look at life a little differently, so you adjust. Maybe you toss out dreams you once had. Maybe you give up on a goal. Maybe you just quit having hope. Left unchecked, we can allow ourselves to be repurposed with life as the one dictating what and who we will be in any given season. We have our original design, our God given destiny, we are not to be repurposed like salvage yard finds. No friends we are uniquely beautiful. You are valuable because God created you.
Over the next 30 days, if you're willing, we'll begin to unpack the last year and maybe even years past. We'll look at patterns and choices. We'll discover false truths that have become our belief system and even beautiful real truths we might have buried unaware. So settle in, trust your wonderful creator and Father and let's begin....
Day 1
Reflect
Interesting when I was researching the definition of the word reflect, one of the meanings as a verb is to turn into or away from a course. It also means to prevent passage of and cause to change direction and finally to make manifest or apparent. So interesting. How often do we really consider what that means? You see light bounces or reflects off a mirror and changes direction. As we reflect on our life over the past year, what are we bouncing off of and changing direction to? What are we moving toward? I wonder as we think about that, is it the same thing we've been bouncing off of for most of our life? I wonder what that propels us toward? This is the first day of a devotional leading us up to the new year. My hope is to challenge you, to stretch you and to usher in the joy of discovery. Honestly, it won't be easy. Looking straight in the eye the thing you've been bouncing off of can be frightening. In my case, it was the harsh realization I had made some very harmless good things false idols in my life. My reflection was based on performance and others opinions of me. Eye opening but freeing at the same time. So get comfortable friends, pack light, our journey begins today.
During your quiet time today, consider this year that's about to close. What were you bouncing off of? Was it the same thing that seemed to be your wall from the year before? Was it new? As you meet your wall, what feelings are stirred? Are they familiar? Give God permission, when you're ready, to reveal what He'd like for you to see.
O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
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