As the world opens up, I find myself evaluating, who do I want to be in it? and how do I want to behave in it? This is an opportunity of a lifetime! to have a moment in time in which we can reset the Clock and redefine purposes and opportunities in our lives. Through the last 12 months, lockdown for me and I'm sure for you, feels as if we've been through a sifting of what is needed… what is primarily necessary and fundamental and what is not.
During this year I've been reminded time and time again how God supplies all our needs …however your desires are a separate entity! It's important to understand that our needs and our desires are two very different things, the Bible tells us that God promises he will supply our every need, Philippians 4 v 19 ‘My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ .’
I think most of us don't want to go back to the way things were, to the routine and the friendships continuing on a plateau. I think most of us want to move forward into a level of deeper….. deeper friendship, deeper understanding, deeper spiritual growth, and a deeper desire to be a true disciple, illustrating and living out all that we're taught in truth and honesty.
I was conversing with God the other day and telling him about the frustration areas where I really was ready for change… he reminded me that as he takes us into the new some things still come with us. He reminded me that those frustration areas would be joining me in the future because it was those circumstances that were working together to grow me … oh I thought to myself I was kinda hoping I’d grown enough to not need the character stretch and develop tools anymore!... Nope!
God is a God of Change, he is a God of the new, yet it is from the old he creates new…because the old has value too so he uses the old to shape, form and to refine .
As we walk forward and navigate the new normal, let's be conscious and move forward with maturity, understanding and that many of the situations we walk into… (how shall I put it… lots of the office politics.. family negotiations… friendship navigations will still exist and may become more visual as we now meet in person) will need a mix of wisdom, courage, resilience, grace and mercy…. doused with a huge amount of humour and forgiveness!
Many of the people we haven't had to deal with in the last 12 months, still of course exist, and perhaps the thought of meeting them again leaves you mentally drained. Today remember that he gives us ‘what we need’ for everything…. The power and the courage and strength is there for you just waiting for you to pick up, just like the Israelites picked up the mana bread each morning ….
We can with God at our side walk back into those situations with a refreshed strength and a clear understanding that we have the God given power to respond and react differently, to how we did last time! The power for great change always comes from God, but it is our responsibility to implement the practicalities by emulating his Character through the fruits of the spirit allowing space for his change.
Ephesians 2 v 10 ‘ For we are Gods masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long.’
Comments