A New Year is always a time of reflection and that's a good thing; look at things that went well, others you pray for change in, ask God to continue His sanctification and the things HE wants me to change..
I was thinking about some of my "big" personal moments this year, where God met me in a special way in special times of need.
My Biblical influences this year:
1) The Apostle John (has been since I landed here in RO, and even before). God takes things from Johns life and writings, and shows me how to apply them personally. He is taking me from being the disciple who wanted to "call down fire"; to the disciple, who at the end of his life said "Beloved, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another". That's not an easy thing; you are often given lots of testings - like people cutting in front of you in line and when you drive (Cluj is crazy traffic - crazy!). I just keep praying "God, help me get an 'A' on this test, I dont want to keep re-taking it!". :o)
2) Jehoshaphat and the beauty of absolute surrender and worship when the battle/enemy is too great. And (oops I am starting a sentence with "and") - when things are going good, dont turn your heart to wrong places - keep the course.
3) Deborah - the most misunderstood/misinterpreted woman of the Bible. Oh, that I would be "that" woman of God who speaks His words and is entrusted; who my husband wants in battle; not because I can fight well (I can, but only verbally ;o) - but because I am so near to God that I hear His voice and can be trusted.
Maybe 2015 wasnt the best of years for some of us, or there are things we wish we had done better or got a chance to go back and do over.
Praise God His mercies are new every morning and Great is His Faithfulness.
(Lamentations 3:22-23)
Praising God that He is the God of redemption, "fresh starts", "do-overs".
All we have to do is come humbly to Him and surrender (and that can happen ANY time, not just "New Years").
Most times that is easier said than done, I know I like to work it out in my head - over and over and over - sort it out -but the fact is I can quickly take it all to Him and the faster the better.
Dont give up; keep your eyes of Jesus "the author and perfecter of your faith". One day at a time, one step at a time (like Peter in the midst of the storm; he kept his eyes on Jesus and not the storm and was able to walk out to him on the water. Jesus' hand was always extended out to him (LOVE that part).
But have a PLAN !!! The best fought wars were won because there was a plan and preparation. The U.S. military has been one of the finest because they train, train, train. And when your battle is heavy - surrender!
Have a plan in place to have moments alone in your day with Him.
Have a reading plan in place for the Bible each day.
I promise you, I have to put these "plans" into place myself or I will set myself up for failure. I have my Bible reading plan for the year, and I asked God to speak a special verse to me for this New Year.
Last Year it was James 2:13b:
"mercy triumphs over judgment."
I cant tell you how many situations that He put me in, where He kept having me exercise being merciful over being judgmental (and just "being quiet" - yeah a real challenge for me :oX ).
This "new" year, He wants to me to focus on "love" more than anything; and its an action, not just a word - its a state of "being".
I am sure I wont always get it right but my heart longs to choose love over all; it is, after all, its the greatest gift (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Verse for 2016: 1 John 3:18b
"let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."
*for me this begins with quickly forgiving offenses and dying to self (ouch!)
"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained." Philippians 3:12-16
