It's New Year! 2018! A new year with new goals and hopes and dreams and adventures.
Or so I thought. As the clock ticked past twelve and a new year opened its eyes, I stared up into the sky at a moon nearly full. Its light illuminated the midnight sky and came down to rest upon me, just another pair of eyes gazing up. There with a full heart, I thanked God for the new beginnings. The past was gone, and a horizon opened before me.
I thought of the future. What could I achieve in 365 days? Where would I go, and what would I do? What goals could I set?
But today I realized the truth. I have the same New Year's resolution as last year.
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| photos credit: Pexels |
God gave me two words to focus on last year. I dug into them. I spent time laboring to understand their real meaning and how to apply their truth.
And yet now, at the beginning of another day, I'm still wondering what they're all about.
Abide
I want to discover what it means to abide in Christ. I want to know God on a personal level and feel His breath in every aspect of my life. The verse that stood out to me was from Jeremiah.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
- Jeremiah 29:13
That's the answer! All I would have to do was search for God with all my heart!
As life continued, I realized how hard it was. All is a big word. It means everything. How does one dedicate every part of his life to one goal?
But that's what I want - to know Jesus as a best Friend and truly find Him.
Love
The next step happened when I discovered the truth of Deuteronomy 6:5.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
- Deuteronomy 6:5
Another answer! If I wanted to discover God, I just had to love Him with all. But there was the word again. All.
I dove into both topics. I tried to apply them in my own life and discover how to abide and love God completely. That was the focus of my year.
What about 2018? What new goals could I choose and reach for?
When I began to get ambitious, God gently turned me around. It was as if He pointed at the last year and smiled.
All that thought and discussion and time was good. But it's not over yet.
That is the worthiest resolution of all: to know and love our Savior more. That's why I don't have a new goal. Abiding in Christ might never be accomplished in my lifetime, but I want it. Surrendering every aspect of life to Him and loving Him with my whole heart is hard. Yet nothing is impossible with God.
The year rolled around, and I'm back to where I started. I wonder if anything changed. Do I abide a little more than I did last year? Do I love more?
It's an endless journey. But doesn't that make the adventure that much more exciting?
I want to live a life worth living. A life focused on Jesus. That's the only one that will matter.
I'll still make goals, but they're smaller goals to keep me on the right track. My ultimate resolution is still Jesus, and I pray that He will be my goal for the rest of my life.
I can almost hear the Narnian voices urging us on.
Come further up, come further in!
- C.S. Lewis The Last Battle
Let's never give up until we have reached the end and attained the prize.
(ps) If you're like me and you're wondering how much you've grown in Christ this last year, I have a challenge for you: Ask a family member.
I know, I know! This is terrifying. But if we aren't honest and open about this, how will we ever know if we're pressing on towards Jesus? So ask. Just a simple, "have you seen fruit in my life that I'm pressing on towards Jesus?" Present the question and accept their answer. We need to be growing in our relationships with God and others, and what a good way to initiate a deep, God-focused conversation with a family member!
Be brave. And do it.
~♥~
Two years ago then God pressed the lesson of surrender on my heart. Recently He reminded me again of that lesson. And this past year then He’s been teaching me to fully trust Him with ALL of me. Often we have to be reminded constantly of what He’s trying to show us so that we can start to grasp it. I don’t think we ever fully will until we get to Heaven. Love is such an important lesson, God is Love. And abiding in Him is important as well.
ReplyDeleteLet’s try to strive to live for Him, in each day the new year brings.
Great post Hosanna and I hope you have a great 2018.
(Ps: I love Narnia)
I've been learning that too, Sarah. It's incredibly hard to surrender all and let Him have control. I know He has a plan. I know He's already in charge. But making my fingers let go and handing Him my life is hard. When we love God with everything, that surrender should become a sweet trust. The problem is our selfishness and pride.
DeleteBut yes, let's strive to live for Him! 2018 is a new year, so let's allow Him to write it!
I like Narnia too, so I'll end with another quote. =) "Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
How beautifully inspiring! We can never truly ever stop growing in our faith; learning to abide and love are some of the most foundational truths in life to live victoriously in Christ. Best to you this year!
ReplyDeleteLivvy
Thank you, Livvy! It can be discouraging to realize that something is an endless endeavor, but when the prize is so high, can we give it up? My purpose on earth is to love God and bring Him glory. I can only do this when I surrender to His will and let Him live in and through me - abide and Love. He's so good. Why do we struggle to abide in Him at all? Our pride is so silly when we look in light of eternity.
DeleteLet's press on. Let's love. Let's abide. I'm thankful that I can do it with the encouragement of my sisters in Christ. =)
This is amazing, Hosanna! I love your title- it echoes some of my own thoughts about New Year's resolutions and goals that I had as well. (Love the Narnia quote as well- it's one of my favorites!)
ReplyDeleteAs I looked back on this past year, I was a little disappointed that I hadn't achieved a few of the goals I had made. But as I reflected more, I realized that God is changing me, slowly but surely, and if I could truly thank Him that I'm different than I was at the start of last year, than I hadn't really failed. The other goals were trivial- growing in God is not.
Anyway, sorry to ramble. Have a blessed 2018 and keep writing for Him! ♥
We'll (probably) never reach perfection in a year, but, like you said, it's encouraging to realize that God is changing us. We're more like Him than we were last year. Every step counts, Emily. =)
DeletePhilippians 1:6 has stood out to me many times, "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." He's faithful. That's all we need.
The same to you! Keep writing and living for Jesus. I hope He draws you nearer to His heart this year and forever. ♥
(ps) I don't mind rambling if it means you're sharing your heart. =) Thank you!
This is so convicting and lovely and just amazing wow Hosanna. Thank you for writing, it's easy to try and get new goals for a new year but God really only has one big goal in mind; and that's that we would grow more and more like Him. <3
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Ashley! The only goals we should make are ones that direct us towards becoming more like Jesus. It can be discouraging when we feel like we'll never arrive at perfection. But Jesus is faithful. I found it encouraging to ask a family member to point out way's he's noticed me growing in Christ this last year - along with areas I need to prayerfully work on. Our family in Christ (and our household family!) are so vital to our growth in Christ.
DeleteKeep living for Jesus, and never give up, my friend! I'm here whenever you need someone to pray for you. But even better is the One who will never leave you nor forsake you. ♥
Simple though they may be, those two words are LOADED with depth and meaning! May we never tire or grow bored of seeking God, but delight in Him more and more every day.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's my desire, Jordy: to delight in Him more and more every day. In this new year, our prayer should be that, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with (us) all. Amen." (2 Corinthians 13:14)
DeleteAww, what a precious prayer from God's own Word. I love to pray His Word because I can't go wrong! The Lord is so good to have given it to us!
DeleteI don't often think of the Love God showed us by giving us His Word, but it's true. I talked with a Buddhist girl recently, and I realized how impossible it would be to follow a religion without a written set of beliefs that answered the why questions. The Bible has comforted me, encouraged me, challenged me, humbled me and much more. He is indeed good!
DeleteI usually set goals or pretend that we aren't "supposed to", because I failed the prvious year to accomplish them... this year, I chose a word, as well: Rest. This year is full of things I can't plan, things I'm scared of and yet want to push towards; I want to Rest in God's timing. This past year was really hard in many emotional ways, and this year so far has shown signs that a couple of the things aren't going to just go away; I want to rest in Jesus' grace. And I'm so tired of always "running my wheels" and never accomplishing anything worthwhile... I want to aim for Rest, instead of setting myself up for failure and stress and worry. That doesn't mean sitting doing nothing; it means getting up and doing those things that have been placed on my heart to do, instead of ignoring them and then feeling that discouragement of unworthiness. It's a journey, not a checklist, and I'm thankful for the Savior in Whom I can Rest, who has given me this journey to live!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love your name <3! I kind of have a desire to have a daughter named Hosanna someday, I just don't know if it "goes" with the right of the names I like... but I love it! Do you pronounce it "Hose-anna", or "Hosh-ee-anna"? I know the name is usually Hose-anna, but I like the original pronunciation, too <3!
Blessings,
Bri
forget-not-his-benefits.blogspot.com
Hello, dear Bri! Did I tell you how much I appreciate long, thoughtful comments? Well, I do. =)
DeleteWow, rest really has such truth, and I didn't realize that. I'm often in the same place you are - when we rush through life and never accomplish anything with true worth. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Jesus is so good. He's so understanding and loving. Life is never perfect, but if we're in His arms, we'll find rest.
Aw, thank you! My name is pronounced "Hose-anna", and I've never heard the other pronunciation. Yet it's beautiful. Maybe I'll ask some friends to call me that. =) I'm thankful my parents picked unique, Biblical names for us. =) May I ask if your name stands for a longer name? I've always liked Bri. A girl with that name was in a series I like - the Viking Quest by Lois W. Johnson. =)
Again, thank you for the sweet comment! Tonight I'll be thinking about the word rest and praying that we both abide in His love. ♥
Well, thank you for telling me that, because I love to leave them, but sometimes I worry that authors will think that I took over their blog... haha :)!
ReplyDeleteYes, that verse is one of the few that have been on my heart through this "Journey"! It has been interesting... so far, just in the six weeks that this year has held, I have realized that rest and trust go hand in hand; and I have realized that surrender is part of what leads to that rest. I've also realized that I needed this morning than even I realized! It's amazing to think how much more I could learn about this short little word in the nest 46 weeks!
I figured it was :). I love both pronunciations! My full name is Ambrielle :). I love that my name made you think of that series, because one time my best friend's little sister came to stay with us for a couple weeks, and she brought that series and stuffed it in my hand, and was like, "You need to read these. I love them, and it has a Bree in it." Haha! I only got to read the first book, but I loved that she wanted to share that with me :).
Thank *you* for your sweet reply! And for encouraging me as I strive to trust the Lord! <3
Feel free to take over my blog with comments, Bri! xD haha. But really, I do appreciate you sharing your thoughts! I'm thankful that even though we might not meet in person, we are able to share Jesus, encourage, and pray for one another. ♥
DeleteI agree! So many aspects of the Gospel are intertwined together. For me, I realized that in the word "Love". If we truly Loved, we would keep all of the 10 Commandments. Then we could fully trust, submit, have faith, rest, and hold tight to the fruit of the Spirit. It all comes down to Loving Him with all your heart, soul, and strength.
I pray that Jesus leads you closer to His heart as you study the Bible to discover truth and rest. He's the Giver of all good things. Let's rest in His goodness! I'm glad to have *met* you, beautiful Ambrielle. =)