Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
We’re several weeks into 2023, and you’ve probably been completely bombarded with content about making (and keeping) your goals for this year. I know it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the things you have to do to supposedly make this the best year ever. Friends, I’m not promising that these three things will make 2023 the best year ever. But it’s very possible that they will positively impact your life, especially your relationship with God.
Dear 2023, I have to admit that I’m terrified that you’ve arrived. I’ve been nervously anticipating your arrival long before 2022 ended. I suppose that, in and of yourself, you aren’t scary at all. The real reason that I’m so afraid of you is because I fear that things won’t go according to plan…specifically, according to my plan.
"The more you do, the more worth you have.” This is a common message we never audibly hear, but it’s frequently implied by others—including by family members, friends, and church leaders. Not because they aren’t Christians per se or because they don’t truly care about you. But because they’ve bought the cultural lie that is stated above—“the more you do, the more worth you have.” We mistakenly believe that we will find strength in doing more—finding a side hustle, starting a hobby, setting new goals for ourselves, etc.
Oh, to be at peace with wherever God has placed us right now. Oh, to feel full of life, rather than full of resentment. Oh, to know that this season is not accidental or meaningless. What if I told you that you can?
I hope this post won’t sound like a lecture. Rather, I hope it will give you the encouragement you need to start the new year with peace. Because you don’t need to start 2020 feeling discouraged, hopeless, or ashamed.
We can blame our sin nature or our culture, or we can take responsibility for our actions and realize that we often don’t try to change our priorities. Maybe the reason we don’t have time to read our Bibles, pray, go to church, fellowship, or serve others is because we aren’t making time for those activities. To be honest, I usually don’t make time for these activities either.
There are so many things I could be doing better. New Year’s resolutions can be depressing because they remind us how flawed we are. If I really think about it, I could come up with dozens of ways to be a better Christian. Instead, I try to ignore my flaws and sins but rarely put in the effort to do better.
Your time, whether spent well or poorly, is a sunk cost. Every moment of the past is a sunk cost. We sometimes pay the price for wasting time—even when we don’t mean to waste it.
Get rid of the trash in your life that’s toppling over and spilling out and hurting your relationship with God. It’s not complicated. It’s very simple.
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