New Year's Resolutions

So I'm about a week late in posting this, but thankfully I did NOT resolve to get more efficient at posting timely blog entries this year...Whew!

However, after hearing and pondering over Pastor Furtick's message last week, I was definitely challenged and given a fresh perspective as I step into the new year. There are several people in our lives right now, faced with struggles & fighting battles that I can't even begin to understand or relate to. However, I can say I have had seasons in my life when I have questioned God's purpose, presence, or provision. Yet when I look back, there is not one moment, one experience, one heartache, one loss that did not result in God revealing His hand and strengthening my faith in the process. Unfortunately I'm prone to forgetting these moments and falling back on my own failed understanding, instead of trusting Him fully when crisis arrives (Prov 3:5-6) So my hope for this year, is that I may see every crisis (large or small) as an opportunity to trust, obey, & worship Jesus, so that His glory can be revealed. These are the new year resolutions that pastor laid out and the points that spoke to me the most.

1. I will seize the opportunity of adversity to experience God’s power!
- When you cut out the crisis, you cut out the opportunity! (Example Exodus 14:13, 15:22...what happens when we cut out the crisis [14:15-15:21], what do we miss? The parting of the Red Sea!
- The only reason an enemy enters your life is so God can have a victory. You can’t have victory without an enemy.
- God will not call off the fight, but rather He will fight for you; big blessings require big battles!

2. I will seize the opportunity of scarcity to receive God’s provision.
Jesus feeds the 5,000. Matthew 14:13-14 & skip (the crisis) to verse 22.
- Scarcity of resource was God’s opportunity to prove himself as the provider to His people!
- When there is scarcity, there is clarity. When we trust in Christ, He provides all our needs. In Matthew 14, Jesus touched what they had, and then multiplied that.
- What is your scarcity? By knowing your need, you can focus on God’s provision.
- Summary of Philippians 4:19: God will supply all your needs!

3. I will seize the opportunity of uncertainty to prove God’s potential.
Jesus walks on water/Peter's lack of faith. Matthew 14:22, skip (the crisis) to verse 34
- Uncertainty gives you an opportunity to depend on God. It gives you the opportunity to lean on God’s power, provision, and providence. Uncertainty is the opportunity to show faith in His provision.
- In our lives, we often want to go straight to the results; but God wants the storm to come. God wants it to be close. God wants you to see His power in the process, not just in His results.

4. I will step into someone else’s crisis and share God’s Word.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- This will be an opportunity to comfort someone else with the love of God. God has tethered your crisis to an opportunity to comfort someone else.
- Why would God involve Himself in your crisis if you are not willing to involve yourself in someone else’s crisis?

Listening to pastor read the scriptures, taking out the crisis and God's subsequent hand in the situation, was very eye opening for me. I found myself applying the same thinking to every story we read to the boys during our devotions this week. Daniel and the lion's den...David and Goliath...Joshua and the battle of Jericho.... I was amazed at what would be missed if the obstacle, scarcity, uncertainty, or adversity was removed. God is what we would miss.

I'll be honest. I'm not at the point where I can say, "Bring on the crisis!" But I definitely have a peace in my heart knowing that when adversity comes, scarcity threatens, or uncertainty rears its ugly head, I'll have the opportunity to trust Him to bring us through it, and see His grace, power, and mercy at work.