Thoughts on the New Year

I've been thinking about some verses that I believe God put in me for this year. I want to share them with you:

Psalms 147:3- He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
 
I've always been a little weary of the "God's gonna do this in this year" predictions... I feel like they rarely relate to me. But let me just say, there seems to be seasons where God does focus more on certain areas than others... or maybe humanity is just more open for His love in certain areas than others for a certain time... In any event, I can tell you that all around me I see God already healing the broken hearted. He's making things new in peoples hearts. Hope is springing up from dry and dead ground... In the places where brokenness and pain once ruled, there's healing and joy. 

This is definitely true in my life and I would like to confirm that this is what God wants to do in yours in the upcoming year. Be open to it. Let down the defenses and begin to trust that God is a God that heals the wounded and weary heart.

Psalms 147:10-11-¹⁰ His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
¹¹ but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Proverbs 10:22-
²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.

So in my mind, these two verses are tied. The favor of God, the blessing of God, rests on those who have put their faith in Christ. The curse -the necessary repercussions of our sin- was placed on Jesus and the blessing - the necessary repercussions of God's righteousness- has been placed on us. This is the eternal exchange that was made for those who believe.

Those who trust in the steadfast love of God, demonstrated perfectly through Christ Jesus, are those who will receive the blessing of God that makes rich. And those riches will never have sorrow added to them. Those who trust in their strength, though they may find riches, will have riches that leave them in poverty still...There's something wholly unsatisfactory about riches gained without God's grace.

So let me encourage you, in every area of your life, begin trusting in the steadfast love of God. It's been demonstrated fully in Jesus. Trust that love for you. This is a major focus God has put in me for the upcoming year... to fully lay myself on His love for me, and believe that, that's enough to make me rich in every area of my life. This year won't be about my ability. It'll be about His... and that's a good thing.