One Thing for the New Year

One Thing for the New Year

Written by Laura Acuña

I don’t know about you, but I have been reading a lot of blog posts and articles this week about the New Year.  All kinds of Christian authors and speakers are writing about resolutions, taking a personal inventory, setting goals for the New Year etc.   While these things are all very helpful and I do believe it is wise to “pause” over the next few days to ponder and pray about what the New Year holds, it is overwhelming.

For many years, I set resolutions, then quickly forgot what I had resolved and simply let life “happen” to me.  This pattern of procrastination, lack of discipline and selective forgetfulness was a way of living for more years than I care to admit.  I don’t recommend it.  We all need to take a hard look at where we want to be at the end of 2015 and then take steps to get there. Growth is a process.  Jesus has a plan for each one of us and He is waiting for our cooperation! Oh, He waited a long time for me!

I can assure you, based on my own experience, if we let life happen to us and we do not address the things that are glaringly problematic in our lives, nothing will change and we will postpone becoming the women God has created us to be.

So……instead of becoming overwhelmed with a list of things we would like to master in the coming year, what if we committed to one thing  we already know needs to be dealt with?  If we are honest, most of us truly already know what it is…..

Pastor Andy Stanley gives this list to his church every year in order for them to determine their “one thing”:  Is it……

• A relationship you need to restore
• A relationship you must end
• A debt you need to retire
• A habit you need to break
• A goal you need to accomplish
• A project you must complete

Andy then gives them a scripture from Nehemiah to use as their life verse for the “one thing”.

When Nehemiah and his people were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, adversaries tried over and over again to pull him off the mission.  They tried everything.  As a last ditch attempt to keep the wall from being completed, Nehemiah’s enemies sent him a message:

“ When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no more breaks in it—even though I hadn’t yet installed the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent this message: “Come and meet with us at Kephirim in the valley of Ono.” I knew they were scheming to hurt me so I sent messengers back with this: “I’m doing a great work; I can’t come down. Why should the work come to a standstill just so I can come down to see you?” Nehemiah 6:1- 3

Sisters, is a there is a wall in your world that you need to restore or complete?  Is there a breach that you need to repair?  If so, you will face adversaries and they will try to pull you down off of the wall.  Take to heart these words from Nehemiah, “I’m doing a great work and I can’t come down”.    Do not–do not– let the naysayers and those with little faith pull you away from what the Lord has put in your heart to do.  Keep this verse close to your heart and commit it to memory.

It is a “great work” to conquer the things in your life that have as yet been unconquered.

WE HAVE NO IDEA OF THE KINGDOM IMPACT OUR CHOICES WILL MAKE ON OUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND IN THE WORLD AROUND US.

Stay the course, work this out with a community of trusted believers ( like Ignite!)  and know this truth:

  “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:45).

Prayer: Lord, I simply come to You in the new year asking for You to supply me with the courage, staying power and focus to nail down this “one thing” that is getting in the way of my freedom and maturity.  Help me tune out those who will try to pull me away with their unbelief and when it is conquered Lord, I promise to give You all the glory.  Thank You for Your unending grace!  Amen.

 Make sure you sign up for Laura’s new Catalyst Group, “Big Girls Don’t Whine”. Find out more about it at http://ignitewomen.com/groups/