Full Steam Ahead!!

Beginning a new school year, the anticipation of an exciting adventure, looking forward to the freedom of summer~we all can relate to the great expectations we have as we begin new seasons of life. At the beginning of a new calendar year, our family gathers in the living room and sets personal goals for the year ahead. This year, as we were sharing our goals for 2014, I was drawn to Isaiah 43:16-21.  In this passage, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah encouraging the Israelites to set their focus towards the future.  He emphasized that all the great miracles that God had done for them in the past were "nothing compared to what I am going to do" in their future.  Isaiah declared, "Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new!" The Spence family set this passage as our mission statement for 2014.

What are your goals for 2014? Do you believe God has great plans for your future, more than you can possibly imagine? This journey called life is filled with joy and grief, success and failure, hope and disappointment.  How do you discover all God has for this life and approach your future accordingly?  I looked up the definition of a few words we hear often in Christian circles to see if I could find some answers...

I.)  FAITH is a noun defined as "complete trust or confidence in something or someone."  Hope is a synonym for faith. Hope is defined as "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen."I love this!! God has designed our human nature with the need for hope...the expectation and desire for great things to happen!  Where do you place your faith/hope?  Is your hope found in success at work, or raising perfect children, or buying beautiful things for your home and trendy clothes?
Colossians 3:1-2 states, "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights (hope) on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth."
It's easy to trust God and in his plans for our future when things are going well, isn't it? The challenge comes when our circumstances are topsy-turvy, and we don't understand why things aren't happening the way we think they should.  I have found that during my times of deepest struggle (grief, failure, uncertainty and disappointment), I lean into the hope I have in heaven.  In these moments, there is a comfort in the fact that this world is not my home.
Isaiah 43:1-3 promises this, "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end--Because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior."
 Another of God's promises is written in Jeremiah 29:11, "'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 the same power and the same love for us no matter what our circumstances may be. Do you believe God's promises are true? Do you have an excitement and anticipation for the amazing things God has planned for your future? As I spend time alone with God, reading the Bible and talking to him, my relationship with him is strengthened. The more time you spend with someone, the more you know them and trust them...right? If you're faith in God is weak, spend more time with him.  He wants to show you his faithfulness.

II.) FOCUS is the state of having or producing clear visual definition.  Focus is also a verb defined "to become able to see clearly." When I'm driving my car, I need all obstacles and distractions out of my way in order to see the path ahead clearly. The same is true spiritually.  If we want to receive the vision and focus needed to see our future clearly and hear God's direction, we have to weed out the things that distract us.  What are your distractions? Are you worried about what others are thinking about you? Do you find yourself anxious about details in your life that you can't control? Are you putting things in your mind that are not God honoring?
Proverbs 4:23-27 instructs us to, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don't get distracted; keep your feet from following evil."
We all have distractions in our lives; even good things can be distractions! Ask God to show you the things in your life that are taking your focus away from his BEST for you. Once he's shown you the distractions, ask him for the strength to weed them out. He will help you!  God doesn't stop at showing us where we need to improve, he provides a path and clear direction as we obey him wholeheartedly!

III.) FOLLOW THROUGH is an action verb that means "to press on in an activity or process especially to a conclusion." WOW!  This one was especially powerful to me because this is the step that actually makes a "world changer"! Many people have various levels of faith; and several even have a clear focus and direction for their lives, but it takes a warrior to follow through with the vision that God places on your heart.  There will be trials as you follow through with the vision God places on your heart, but that is when you will see God's power and your faith will multiply!  Do you see how it comes full circle?  1 Peter 1:6-7 tells us to "be truly glad. There is WONDERFUL JOY ahead (hope!), even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.  These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold...So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." A primary benefit of persevering through difficult times is strength.  Your faith will gain strength, which results is greater joy and ultimately, will draw others to the Lord and to this everlasting joy!

God knows your past, present and your future!  Our job is to walk through doors that he opens for us (follow through)...He truly has incredible opportunities in store for you.  As we walk in obedience (focus), and trust that he will provide all that we need (faith), we will see AMAZING things happen.   Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart;  don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."  Have an awesome week, one step at a time!