Savage2Saint Sobriety Jan. 14, 2024

" Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." - 1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV).

I'm excited for what the Lord has in store for 2024! I don't know about you, but the new year has me seeking God stronger than ever before! 2023 was great on so many different levels and with Shevon and I living for the Lord, I can honestly look forward to this year as being one of hopeful anticipation. It's hard to imagine life getting better but when you keep Jesus at the center of everything, life does, in fact, keep getting better and better.

I've never been a New Year/New You kind of person. Promises to lose weight, quit smoking, find financial freedom, or quit using drugs and/or alcohol once and for all are just a few of the goals people set for themselves this time of year. A few weeks in and they find themselves buried in guilt and regret when they fail to make good on these promises to themselves and to their loved ones. This guilt and shame will only make matters worse. This happens because we are setting unrealistic expectations on ourselves. Expectations that change is possible all because it is the right time of year. These goals are burdensome, and many times push us further away from the goals we set.

We serve a God who is not only the God of the mountain top, but the God of the valley, as well. When we are down and need help, we don't have to ascend to the mountain top. God will come to us! God finds us at our lowest and picks us up and carries us to the mountain top. It's only when we realize that we can't, but God can and will, that we get the strength to break free of the burdens that the world has weighed us down with. And the best part? We serve a 24/7/365 God. We can call on Him any day of the year and He will be there for us, not just in January!!

I'm not saying setting goals is a bad thing. I'm saying putting faith in your ability to accomplish these goals because of a certain time of year is. If you want to make a change in your life, then set a goal to be more Christ-like this year. Be a witness for Jesus. Lead by example. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you every day of the year. Then you will see the fruits that Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" - (NLT).

Make being more like Christ your goal for 2024. When you get to December of this year you will be able to look back on 2024 and see that you have come miles from where you were as a person. I like using the line, "I'm not where I'm going, but I'm sure not where I was!" God has delivered me from so much, but it was only possible when I allowed Him to do the work. If you are dealing with the burdens of this world, let go and let God do the heavy lifting. He's ready to meet you, pick you up, and carry you to the mountain top. Allow God room to move in your life and you will have nothing but success in 2024! God bless!!!