Flexibility, trust, hope and God’s perspective for 2019
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
copyright
January 2019
It is the beginning of 2019 and it is time to take inventory of your life and prepare for the future. I am taking flexibility, trust, and God’s perspective into 2019.
As I looked at my own life, my walk with God and where I want to go, I noticed something. There are things I want to take into the new year and things I need to leave behind. What about you? What do you want to take into 2019 and what are the things you need to leave in 2018?
I want to continue solidifying the things God has taught me in this past year. Everything in life is about our relationship with God and with others.
2018 was a year of lots of fun change in our family. The year moved quickly, took lots of adjusting and readjusting of schedules to accommodate three of our five kids getting married, the loss of my husband’s stepfather, the birth of a new grand baby and one due any minute, four of our five kids moving, overseeing care for my father-in-law and my husband’s stepmother, and stepping into something new, leading a community Bible study called,The Gathering-Bringing God into everyday life. These are just a few things in our personal life, not to mention, our business.
In all of this, God was incredibly faithful to provide the strength and peace I needed to navigate this past year. I am much more flexible with changing my plans, and going with the flow of life. My life is not my own, it belongs to God and there is such freedom in simply following Him, and serving wherever He takes me. Depending on God to supply wisdom, grace and strength to navigate 2018, is something I want to take into 2019.
God always wants to be with us in every situation in life. He says in Deuteronomy 31: 6-7, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”(NIV)
He wants to help us, guide us and be what we need. I have seen God help me step out to do things I have never done before, provide the connections I needed, and be my security in the process. He has also been my stability during change and shown me things I have seen as a negative, He sees as a positive, and will work it together for my good.
I have found, when I continually ask God to show me His perspective a situation, He adjusts my thinking and I can partner with Him. Evicting negative thinking is so important because I cannot partner with a negative. Seeing things from His perspective has deepened my trust in Him.
He has also helped me love people that have not been kind or easy to love. All of these are things I am taking with me into 2019 and intend to build on them.
Recently, I was going through some cabinets and drawers at home. I realized there were things cluttering my my home and things I needed to simply get throw away. I think it is also important to look at our heart to see what we need to let go of or get rid of. What baggage needs to stay in 2018?
I am talking about things like failures, disappointments, hurts and unforgiveness.
Isaiah 43:18 says, “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing.” (NIV)
If we focus on the negative things and regrets in our lives, it can keep us from fully enjoying the present. Bad things happen to good people, however, each of us has a choice of how we handle them and if we dwell on them.
I have wasted plenty of time in my life focusing on failures, disappointments, hurts, unforgiveness, and things that just do not benefit me. Life is too short to carry unforgiveness. Practicing quick forgiveness has served me well in 2018. What drawer in your life do you need to clean out so you can make room for the new? Who do you need to forgive?
Isaiah 52:1 also instructs us by saying, “Clothe yourself with strength and splendor, shake off your dust, for this is what the Lord says.” (NIV)
God tells us that His heart for us is to reach for the strength he provides, shine or be bright to the world around us and get rid of things we do not need. We need to listen to Him and what He says, instead of negative voices. What do you need to shake off?
Perhaps 2018 was a difficult year for you. Maybe you lost your job, lost a loved one, experienced a tragedy, were diagnosed with cancer or another disease. Sometimes when our past year has been challenging, it can be difficult to have hope for the new year.
Jeremiah 31:17 is a short scripture and is God’s gift to us as we walk into 2019. It says, “So there is hope for your future.” (NIV)
No matter what you faced in 2018, there is fresh hope for us to grab in 2019. When you walk with God, there is always hope, and hope serves as an anchor for our soul.
This year, I challenge you to take a look at your life, shake off and get rid of things you do not need and make room for the new things God has to give you this year. I encourage you to take flexibility, trust, and His perspective on things into 2019. God adores you, so partner with God and remember the best is yet to come!
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native to the Texas Hill Country, a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth and God’s love. Beginning January 22, 2019, at 6:30, she will be leading a Bible study at The Kroc Center called, The Gathering-Bringing God into everyday life. You can register for the event and reach her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.theMaxwellminutes.blogspot.com
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