I know you’ve had enough. I know that the beginning of this new decade has put you through it! One curveball after another, this year has been full of surprises, some good and others, not so much. Can I be honest with you for a moment? A lot of us hyped 2020 alllll the way up, myself included. Some of us had big plans for 2020. I had plans to officially launch my company, amongst other plans, only for everything to shut down and return to square one. I’m sure you also had to put some exciting things on hold because God had something else in mind. I remember my grandfather once said, “We make plans, but God ‘un-plans’”. I always kept this thought in the back of my mind, but it’s safe to say that for most of us, 2020 was the year that we lived that statement. This is a somber way to start, but I want to shift your perspective from reflection to contemplation, and ask how did you respond when God altered your plans? If you responded in fear, doubt, or frustration, you’re not alone in that feeling, but if you’re still there, please know that you have not been created to live in that mindset. If you responded to the boisterous winds (Matthew 14:30) with a change with faith, and keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, I applaud your strength in the Spirit. Some of you may be like me, who at the beginning of this year were holding onto control over their own life, determined to make things go their way until they were humbled by the unforeseen circumstances and finally handed all control over to God.
No matter how you got to the point of reading this, I want to encourage you. No matter how you responded to these unprecedented times, it’s likely that you’ve been waiting on some sort of breakthrough in the meantime. Waiting in faith that God will pull through as you fight your fleshly desire to make things happen instead of being obedient to Him can be discouraging. Trying to cancel the thoughts of “what if” with Psalm 23, by reminding yourself that the Lord is your shepherd and with you at all times. Our ability to obey God and move when He gives us the green light and not on our own terms has been difficult. God has made us stop to take a look at the power He holds, and I want you to know that He sees you. God may have allowed that relationship or friendship to end. God may have allowed you to experience that grief, whether it be the loss of a loved one, your job, your home, or your possessions. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that God removes to replace. I could sit here and type about how much I’ve lost this year, but I could also speak to the invaluable things I’ve gained. Peace (Isaiah 26:3), a renewed sense of purpose (Romans 9:16-18), Wisdom (Proverbs 4:7), Healing (Psalm 147:3), and so much more. I hope and pray that you see how God has done the same in your life.
If you find it hard to see how God has sustained you this year, or maybe you’ve taken note of His grace but, every now and then, the enemy throws a curveball your way, just know that every time you choose to trust God, you get closer and closer to what He has been preparing you for. Every adversity, obstacle, and challenge is brought before us to refine, strengthen, and cultivate us for our God-given purpose here on earth. I experienced this through the unique opportunities brought before me; opportunities that I will forever be grateful for because they’ve contributed to my ability to better live out God’s will for my life. We often wait for God to speak to us while our faith is being tested, but the teacher doesn’t always speak until the test is done. Know that you are close to your victory. Trust and believe that you are close to a new thing (Isaiah 43:19). As you wait for God’s word that your test is finished, keep your head down in the Word. Obtain the knowledge you need to apply to the season God is preparing you for. Don’t mistake God’s catapult for Him abandoning you.
