BLESSED NEW YEAR TO YOU!
I am confident that God intends 2022 to be our best year ever.
That isn’t pious rhetoric, it’s the simple fact that God, who turned Jesus’ death at Satan’s hand into Satan’s ultimate defeat,* is ready to meet us in our troubles and turn them into blessing. https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1-corinthians/2/6-10
Paul wrote, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” I Cor. 2:9 kjv. That’s for us!
We like that, but in verse 7 he had said, “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;” I Cor. 2:7
What are your highest dreams and imaginations for 2022? Well, God has even better plans for you but the way it happens is a mystery to our human mentality.
We all inherit the trait of wanting to figure things out for ourselves, and that’s a problem here. Don’t you see that trait even in little children?
So, here’s God’s way. Here’s the mystery. “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Rom. 5:2b-5. https://biblia.com/bible/esv/romans/5/1-5
Yes, there are many reasons to think that 2022 will be difficult but it only takes one BIG reason to believe that it can be our best ever.
Part of the mystery is in the process. We can hardly believe that suffering can be for our good. And part is in the result. We are so stuck in our mindset that doing things our way is what makes life good, and the mystery is that real living comes as God’s Life flows into us as we surrender to Him.
That is the hope, the confident expectation, of those who have faith in God. I pray it is so for you in ‘22!
* I Cor. 2:8 niv
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
Jan. 2, 2022
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