Can you believe we have entered a new year? It blows my mind that we are a quarter of the century into the millennium. And as with any new year, we are given a blank slate to start new and afresh. My husband and I, for example, are on a “diet” to eat less sugar and add more healthy, whole food. I’m sure many of you have decided to eat healthier also. Some of you may want to exercise and get healthier in general. (Yep, me too). Others may want to watch less TV choosing instead to read and pray more to deepen their relationship with the Lord. There are those of you who can’t wait to leave 2024 behind and enter a new year; while for others, the uncertainty of 2025 brings fear and worry.
I recall a time when the thought of stepping into a new year would fill me with unease. Instead of feeling thrilled at the prospect of a fresh start, I found myself burdened by anxiety over the blank canvas that lay ahead. Looking to the future often led me down a path of negative thoughts, overshadowing any excitement or good things I wanted to experience.
Because of what was going on around me, the lens of my mind was only focused on the bad happening around me. I couldn’t break free from the negative mind set. I worried about everything from my children to “is this mole normal.” But then God stepped in and ministered to me about my “stinkin thinkin.” I always read Jeremiah 29:11 and thought it was so encouraging. But this day, the eyes of my heart were illuminated. Jeremiah 29:11 reads:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
God has a good future in store for us!
A Future Full of Hope
When I read this verse, I begin to realize that God has a good future in store for us, filled with hope and promise. The hardships we face are only temporary, mere stepping stones on our journey. God is going to take the bad and intricately weave good out of the troubling circumstances we may find ourselves in. He is transforming our struggles into testimonies of His grace and faithfulness. When we begin to surrender our wills, dreams, and pain to Him, we open the door for His intervention, allowing Him to work in our lives in ways we might never have imagined. As long as we stay anchored in the Word and consistently meditate on scripture and pray, God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, will enter our anxious minds, quieting the storms within us and filling us with a profound sense of calm and assurance that He is in control. In those moments of surrender and trust, we can truly experience the fullness of His love and guidance.
I don’t know about you, but I need to know God is in control of my future. I can be at peace because I am sheltered in the arms of God.
God’s plans for you and I should give us great hope for our future. Joyce Meyer wrote that “God has a plan for each of us. It is a good plan, an uncommon plan, a great plan; it is not an average, mediocre plan.”
There is nothing mediocre about the plan God has for your life. He has placed you in this moment in time for something only you can accomplish, a unique purpose that reflects both your talents and your experiences. Every challenge you face serves as a stepping stone that prepares you. The path may sometimes seem unclear, but trust God in the journey. Embrace the adventure, for it is through learning and growing in faith that you will find the strength to fulfill your God-given purpose.
Bible Verses About God’s Plan
“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.“
“The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.“
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
“ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
My Word for the Year
Like many of you, I pray for God to give me a word for the year. This year my word is “Abide.”
I ended 2024 with a car accident which totaled our new car and the death of one of my dogs. I felt so much pain physically and emotionally. I won’t elaborate on this today because I plan on sharing this in another post. Let’s just say I was feeling confused and alone. My strength was gone. As I cried out to God, He illuminated John 15 to me and I knew He wanted me to abide in Him. Only then will I experience the breakthrough I am in need of.
John 15:4 says: “Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch can not bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
If you have never prayed for a word for your year, I encourage you to seek God’s direction. He will speak plainly to you and show you where He is leading you.
Conclusion
Every new year, we are given a blank slate. My question to you is, what are you going to do with that slate? Are you going to enter the year believing God has a good plan for you, or are you going to anxiously wring your hands with fear and dread of the future?
If you are dealing with fear about your future, I encourage you to run into God’s loving arms and allow Him to take away your fear. Get into the Word and allow it to transform your mind. If you are dealing with circumstances beyond your control and your future is uncertain, then know that you are not alone and you are in my prayers. Micah 7:7 says: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” God hears your cries and He is at work in your situation even though you may not feel it or see it. He never stops working on your behalf. Be encouraged and begin to hope again.
God loves us and He never wants to see His children wandering around aimlessly with no future hope. He stands there and encourages us to move ahead. His plans for us are good. We may not be spared suffering, pain, or hardship, but God, in all His wonderful power, will see us through to a glorious conclusion and a future that is bright.
Find Joy In Today 
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