According To God

Beautiful One, yesterday is gone, tomorrow has yet to arrive, here we are in today! Today, let's diminish the lies, cast off the regret, and determine in our hearts to be all we were created to be. Whether we win or lose in life does not matter; it's how we play the game that defines who we are . . . according to God!

I am amazed at the many goals and expectations the New Year tempts us to set. We are more inclined to make new goals and set fresh standards in January more than at any other time. What fascinates me is that even though this can be a good thing, it can also be an easy recipe for failure. What often happens is that if we lacked discipline in the previous year, we will probably struggle with it in a new year. Our goals and resolutions sound great and invigorate our hearts and minds, but just because it is January 1 of a new year, doesn't mean discipline automatically enters the picture.

This is just one example illustrating how we tend to think and operate in our daily lives; we start out committed and excited, then life happens. Work, kids, bills, you know . . .  life! Slowly and unintentionally our resolve starts wane and all our good intentions fly out the window. It's as if we think that just by setting goals, we will automatically attain them without any effort.

Beautiful One, I'm not saying we should not try new things or attempt to better ourselves; absolutely! try it, but start small and build from there. We need goals; we need fresh perspective in our lives.

However, what we need more than anything is a renewed mind; free of worry and doubt, but refueled with the Spirit. A mind that is at peace with God, so in return we will have peace within ourselves. In order for us to embrace a new beginning, we need to free our hearts and our minds from all the old things. Today is a new day, and the things that worked against you are old. God has something new to lay hold of and we simply cannot embrace it if our minds are already full of old stuff that needs renewal.

I don't know about you, but last year was a very hard year for me. I feel like a lot was lost in my life. I'm almost afraid to have great expectations for this one, because I envisioned great things for 2009, but it didn't turn out the way I was hoping.  

Beautiful One, what do we do when faced with a new day, but carry with us an old perception? It's true that we don't know what tomorrow will bring, but we know what yesterday brought, and yesterday often determines how we feel about today. No matter how good or bad it felt, yesterday becomes a part of our lives.

The thing we need to remember is that yesterday doesn't determine today's outcome. That's good news to those of us who have been wounded. It's especially good news to those with broken hearts.

Whether we are aware of it or not, each of us lives our lives after a certain pattern of thought. Each of us has desires and dreams, as well as weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We each hold a set of principles and values in which we hold others and ourselves accountable. Let's examine them; let's seek out that which defines and shapes our lives. This year I want to challenge you as I have myself to live intentionally. No matter what it is you do, do it intentionally and specifically. The Word of God says "lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path" (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).

Did you catch that? In all your ways, acknowledge Him. God didn't say in all your right or holy ways, He said in all your ways. All means the "good, the bad, and the ugly!"

 I encourage you to join me in acknowledging God together in the issues of life, no matter what they are.

According to the world we are masters of our fate; every man for himself. But according to God; we shall lean not on our own understanding but in all our ways, we shall acknowledge the one and only true God, and He shall direct our paths in 2010!

Beautiful One, just believe, because according to God, nothing shall be impossible for those who do!