At the start of the New Year it is customary to proclaim some resolutions for our lives. I am no different than others and I automatically started thinking about what I want to change about me. Then my pastor offered a message on New Year’s Day asking us to reflect on our past year and see what is working for us and what is not working for us.
This got me thinking about how God has worked in my life this past year and what I have learned. One of the most important things I learned over the past year is busyness is not always what God wants. In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist tells us, “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God…’”Sometimes we are asked to be still not busy.
Our New Year’s Day reading was from Ecclesiastes 3:1-13—
A Time for Everything
1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
I find this a good scripture to consider during the beginning of this New Year, this New Chance from God to follow His plan. So as I ponder how my limited energy will be spent, I turn to my Creator and ask, “So God, who do You say that I am?” I pray for the wisdom and clarity of mind to hear His answer!
Happy New Year, everyone!
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