As the turn of the year approaches, we take time to reflect on the journey we have made through the changing seasons of our lives. The steadfast faithfulness of God has been our anchor through trials and victories, joys and sorrows, death and new life, mistakes and failures, repentance, redemption and restoration. All of the former make up the rich tapestry of our lives as our loving Heavenly Father, the Divine Weaver, weaves His threads of gold among the “baser” colours.
What are the trials the Lord has used to teach me this year as He seeks to remove the tares from my harvest field? One of the tares is ingratitude. Being thankful is always applicable on a daily basis to the life of a Believer and is fundamental for a peaceful and joyous life. The “little foxes” of ingratitude can creep in and spoil “the vine.” The children of Israel in their desert wanderings were constantly murmuring against God and paid dearly for it. Let me learn from their example and quickly repent of any ingratitude I am making my identity.
Our past journey through this year may have held some disappointment. That’s life!….but on reflection, were my hopes unrealistic?….did I ask amiss?….did I need to change my wrong believing somewhere?…or was I unwilling to trust in the timing of God? God has an appointed time for everything and I have to learn that His timing is perfect. He sees the end from the beginning, His understanding is infinite and His ways and thoughts are not my ways and are past finding out. I may not always understand what God is doing – I do not have to! He may say “No” to my request, because He loves me and my Father knows what is best for His child. One of the greatest lessons in a Believer’s life is learning how to handle disappointment. Let us nail this truth…God is not a disappointment! He is my Heavenly Father and loves me completely….and He is unchanging, so His love never falters for me and never “throws a wobbly!” His greatest desire is that I learn to trust Him so that when the dark times come, I learn to re-focus on who He is, how much He loves me and I hit “the re-set button” as I learn to see things from God’s perspective and not mine. I may not understand what is going on, that does not matter. The important thing is that I trust God with all the details of my life and learn to enter His “rest” amid the trial. He will faithfully bring me through the trial into His victory, for His glory. The challenge is that most of the time I judge things by looking back to analyse the natural, but the Holy Spirit is looking forward and sees things in the spiritual from God’s perspective.
I cannot live in the past, I cannot live in tomorrow, “This is the day that the Lord has made,” and God requires that I live in the IS of God! God IS! Everything I need for this day, My Heavenly Father has a full supply of. His name is I AM……(I AM THAT TO YOU.) The Lord is teaching us not to ask amiss, but to ask of Him in line with His divine plan and purposes, for the extension of His kingdom and glory.
Matthew 6:25-34 In these verses Jesus taught us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all the elementary needs of provision would be taken care of. We have to hit the re-set button again when we put this principle back to front!
PRAYER
Our Father, thank You that Your mercy is always ruling in our lives. We reflect on the treasures You have taught us and thank You that Your mercy has been with us for every step of the journey this year. With the new year approaching, we rest in the confidence You give us for absent family and friends, that You are working in their lives to bring them into the Kingdom. We worship You, Lord, knowing You are in full control of our lives, thankful for the blessed assurance that “Jesus is mine!” We acknowledge, Lord, that “Our times are in Your hands,” as 2015 approaches, bristling with opportunities to prove You in our lives!
