It seems to happen every year doesn’t it? You get your “word” for the year, you make your resolutions, or you make decisions on what you’re going to do in moving forward…ministry, home, health, family, work and then a week in, you get ill or life happens and everything goes out of the window! I firmly believe this is why so many people lose their motivation for the coming year and their hopes, plans and resolutions.
As I’ve said many times before, I never liked New Year. I think it’s because many difficult things have happened in January in the past or I’ve ended up really ill. Having an auto-immune disease means it often takes me much longer than the average person to recover from viruses. I always used to feel apprehensive about what a new year might hold in terms of losing someone I care about or illness etc. but ever since God started naming the year for me, it’s given me fresh motivation to move into a new year with enthusiasm.
This, however, does not stop “life” happening or illness striking. God gave me my Word of the Year “Expand” in preparation for 2024 and I felt really motivated coming into it, that God wanted to gently expand my capacity and his influence through me in all areas of my life. Then…when the 6th January 2024 arrived, I fell really ill with a horrible flu virus (I had been vaccinated previously but it didn’t seem to make any difference with this particular strain!). With no energy and no choice but to rest to get my temperature down and help my body recover, everything stopped. Days of rest turned into weeks and it felt like I was never going to feel normal again. Now, finally, I feel like I’m coming back up the other side of the dip and finally getting back into things but still feeling tired and sluggish.
It is at THIS point that you and I have a CHOICE. Do you let all your hopes and dreams for this year remain in the fog and cloud that they’ve disappeared into and meander aimlessly on, or do you take hold of them again and despite your lack of motivation, choose to press forward? The Bible says…
“I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me his own.” Phillipians 3:12
Run with PASSION!! I know that’s not easy when the days are dark and your brain is clouded in fog but it’s the starting that’s always the most difficult. Pick yourself up and go again! You can do it! We might have to do this several times but it’s the choice to go again that’s so important. As you do that, God will fill you with strength to spur you on.
As you get going it spurs other to do the same and to keep going…
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1
Ultimately this is talking about pressing on towards the goal of Heaven but that track includes every day of our lives. Don’t let the disappointments of January steal your hope for 2024. Press on with passion and enable God to make this an incredible year for you and for those around you.
Face in the Sunlight 