With the start of the new year, a lot of people make goals for themselves. Goals to lose weight, start eating healthy, read more, and so on. I am definitely speaking from experience that any goals I've made for the new year last two months tops and then trickle off. But this year is different for me because the goal I'm making is not something physical; it's spiritual. 2022 is going to be a year of pursuing Jesus. A year of dying to myself and letting God work through me for His glory, not mine. New years goals are usually about myself but that's where they fail. Because I fail, because I am NOT perfect. But there is someone who is perfect and He calls me His daughter. The weight loss doesn't define us. The diet doesn't define us. Jesus does. Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23). That means denying ourselves and living for Him. While that is an even harder task than losing weight or changing everything you eat, it is so much more rewarding. This earth with fade away and eventually we will leave this earth too, but if we are rooted in Christ, we have eternal life with Jesus! That's why pursuing Him is so urgent. We aren't promised tomorrow or even another breath, but if we are still alive, God is using us. We just need to obey what He is calling us to do. Even if you don't know what God is calling you to do yet, the more you meet with Him, you will find your purpose. With Peter and Paul in the New Testament, Jesus used their passions and what they already knew how to do to grow His Kingdom. Peter was a fisherman but Jesus told him to be a fisher of men. Paul, originally known as Saul, was persecuting Christians but Jesus came to him and told him to preach the gospel instead. Jesus didn't change anything that they were doing, He just shifted their focus on Him.
Pursuing Jesus is no easy task. It takes intention and discipline. There will be trials but we are given peace through Jesus (Acts 10:36). We need to clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord (Romans 13:14). This year I am commiting to the Lord and letting Him guide me, instead of trying to do things on my own. Proverbs 16:3 says, " Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." We can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9). Zephaniah 2:3 says it simply," Seek the Lord." Just seek the Lord. He will meet you where you are and guide you.
Thank you to my awesome youth pastor for inspiring this blog post with his sermon last Friday and for the challenge to pursue Jesus this year.
JATS