Shift Your Perspective - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) January 2, 2024
It is so easy to enter into a new year thinking about all the things you failed to do in the year that just ended. It is equally easy to focus on all the things you are waiting on the Lord to do. You look at all the promises you hoped to see that seemingly remain unfulfilled.
If that's how you felt on New Year's Day, or if that's how you feel right now, you are not alone. There's something about stepping into a calendar year that gets people sentimental. And in some cases, melancholy.
However, you cannot allow such attitudes to become the theme of your year. It just will not do to be burdened with what shoulda or coulda been. Instead, you have to take a moment or two, to remember what the Lord did for you in the last year. Things you never could have achieved on your own You can't afford to forget what God has done for your loved ones and yourself.
And as you remember those Jericho Moments - the wins God gave you along the way - you will no longer focus on what you are yet to see. You will instead focus on what God is bringing your way. There will be a shift in attitude and perspective. You'll go from sadness to the joy of the Lord. You'll fulfill Isaiah 61:3's guidance of replacing the spirit of despair with the garment of despair. This will be accomplished by singing and playing music that praises the Lord and dancing in anticipation of what's coming by His grace. After all, He promised that those who wait on Him will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11). Plus, He said in Proverbs 23:18 - ...you have a bright future (GNT). That commitment belongs to every child of God who believes in it.
Has your mind turned to the verse on "hope deferred"? Then, I want you to remember something. Proverbs 13:12 tells us, Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life (NKJV). This verse is true and you might have lifted it up to the Lord to encourage Him to swiftly fulfill your desire. There is nothing wrong with that, except if your request is detestable to Him. Nevertheless, keep the following in mind: God can defer our desires to strengthen our faith and increase our patience.
If either of those is the reason why you are still waiting, then buckle up and be prepared to wait a little longer. We can't skip any classes with the Lord. Remember, He has taken full responsibility for you, His child. You must therefore be raised properly to become effective tools for His purpose here on earth. Thus, if you signed up to be His child, then you've signed up to learn what He has to teach the way He wants to teach you.
So, as we place some distance between 2023 and each new day, turn your gaze to the God who has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Plans that will not fail but will surely come to pass as we cooperate with Him and allow Him to help us with everything.
I hope to see you at Noon EST when we'll worship the Lord and pray for others. See you then!
Please read the following New Year's posts from the past:
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