New Year, Changing Me

Whenever a new year rolls around you hear people making comments like, “New year, new me!” and posting their new year’s resolutions on different social media platforms. They then announce to the world all the incredible changes they are going to make to re-invent their lives. While there is nothing wrong with setting goals, or having other people to keep you accountable to them, often we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do some drastic life-altering changes at the stroke of midnight, so that we can go into the new year a different person.

As I thought about this, and some of the changes I felt the Lord prompting me to do in this new year, especially in the area of health and fitness, I considered how He works. Often over time, in the quiet and the everyday, God is doing things to change me. It’s to grow me. Even when I panic and try to fix everything I deem inadequate in my life, as quickly as possible, He is always gently reminding me that His way and His pace are different from mine.

I have watched plenty of those ‘extreme makeover’ reality shows on television, where someone who hasn’t had a new outfit or had their hair done in ten years, goes on, and then walks out, looking like a different person. I sometimes feel that is how I want my healing journey to go. I want God to be the ‘fix it all’ host, who gives me an extreme Christian make-over and I walk out the perfect, most healthy and healed Christian there ever was. But, you know what? Thank goodness that is not how God does it!

Obviously, He can heal in an instant, but I am referring to His heart for relationship. He loves to walk with us, as He heals the deepest parts of our hearts. He is always waiting for us to let Him in, because the more we journey with Him, the more like Him we become. Healing and growth is a process, sometimes a painful process, but it is so beautiful, because it means we get to know more of our Father’s heart. And through getting to know Him, we get to know more of ourselves too.

So, today, no matter where you are on your healing journey, or how far along you wish you were, remember that it is His goodness that you still need Him every day, in every situation. Just as the Scripture above in Isaiah says, His ways are always higher than our ways. Our weaknesses and imperfections make us reliant on the King of kings, the strongest warrior and the kindest Father. Take a moment today to thank Him for working in your weakness and admit that you need Him today! Song of the Day: King of Kings by Hillsong Worship

Prayer: Father, thank You that You so desire a daily relationship with me that You don’t rush the process. Thank You that You work in everyday, and today I admit that I need You, and I agree that Your ways are higher and better than my ways. I want to move at Your pace and not my own. I surrender my plan and yield to Yours. Amen.