365 days. Gone forever. Where do we go from here?
If you're like me, you're thinking about your goals for 2022. I'd like to recommend we do two things before we set any goals. Pray, and act.
If you don't know what you should do in the new year, ask God. He's the only one who knows the details. So ask him to help you make good decisions and guide your steps. If you are afraid, tell him. Tell him how much you need him on the journey.
After you have prayed, you must act. When God tells you what to do or where to go, you must follow. Your action demonstrates that you are moving forward even if you don't know how everything will turn out.
When Becky died, I believe God was saying to me, "Do something with this." He was telling me that I was to use my struggle for good. In fact, he specifically led me to climb the Alps and do a fundraiser. The result was $25,000 for cancer research. I began to see how God was weaving a tapestry through my life. I now look back and see how God has always has a plan for my life and was piecing my life together, not tearing it apart.
There is no recipe in life to keep us from pain and suffering in 2022. That's why God wants us to keep our focus on him. God's word, firmly rooted in the soil of our lives, is the best remedy for tough times. My greatest prayer for 2022 is that God would use me as a vessel through which to speak words of encouragement and hope to others. I am thankful that through this blog I have the opportunity to speak up for him and to live every day for him. Writing has been a big part of the healing process in my life and a task that takes me deeper in my relationship with God. God comforts us so that we can comfort others. This gives purpose to our suffering. I am thankful, through it all, for my deeper trust in him.
When I climbed the Alps, I had a guide who never left my side. Instead of picturing myself alone on the mountainside of life, I like to picture my hand in Jesus' hand, and the climb is not so difficult. There is a special strength borne out of time alone spent with God.
My friend, keep your eyes focused on your Guide. Trust that he will open the way before you. Enjoy his presence. When you are unsure of the next step, he will be there. Walk (or climb) by faith, not by sight. Trust God for each and every step. He will never let go of your hand.