Often at the beginning of a new year, people will take time to reflect on the previous year, and think on the new one with the hope of better things to come. Some will think on their past as a whole in order to gain perspective in relation to their current circumstances. Here is something to consider in relation to reflecting on the past: good or bad, what is done is done. Learn from it, and move on. Some face the New Year with great expectations of change; yet have no idea how those changes will take place. Some expect changes to take place without making any changes themselves. As the old adage goes, “Doing the same old things over again, while expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.” Without a plan, things tend to remain the same. Even if there is a plan, until a person puts legs under it, it is just a plan. Here perhaps, is a better definition of insanity: “Trying to create a new future of one’s own making without God.”
Every human being on the planet has a purpose from God. If you are human you have a purpose in life, so yes, this means you. The most satisfied people on the planet are the ones who are fulfilling their God-given purpose while walking with Him. Those who are trying to create their future on their own terms are the polar opposite. True satisfaction with lasting peace will always elude them until they surrender their lives to God. Those who do not know Jesus Christ will never know peace, and those who have half-way surrendered their lives to Him will have periodic moments of peace. Deep abiding peace and satisfaction comes with a right relationship with Him. If people allow the Father to reveal His plan for their life, and if they follow that plan, they will experience the contentment in life they have been looking for.
For whatever reason, some people have forgotten their true destiny. They have allowed the vision to slip from their memory. The beginning of the New Year is a great time to focus on what the Lord has said concerning the future. More specifically, it is a good time to stir up the gift and vision that He placed in your heart by way of remembrance. Go back to what He said to you by the Holy Spirit, and recapture the vision. 2Timothy 1:6-7 says, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (KJV). Do not be intimidated by the magnitude of the vision. He has given you everything you need to accomplish it. Big dreams are given by a big God, and take a big God working in our life to accomplish them. As another saying goes, “If it is bigger than you, it is probably from God.”
Here is a suggestion, if you have written down things the Lord has dropped into your heart, re-read it. Carefully examine and compare it to where you are today. See if you have done those things that He asked you to do, or if you have left things undone. It is always best to wait on the Lord before doing anything, but if He has given specific instructions that you know are meant for the moment, it is best to do them quickly. Ironically, people sometimes ask the Lord for a new set of instructions before completing the first. Sometimes, the Lord is waiting on us. If you do not have anything written down, it would be a good time to ask the Lord to bring to remembrance what has been said, and put it on paper. If this is new to you, simply sit quietly with the Lord and ask Him to reveal His purpose for your life. Write down what He lays on your heart, and date it. For some, this is a call to get back to your God-given future. For others, it is a call to find your God-given destiny.
