To some, 2015 has come and gone in a blink of an eye. To others, it has dragged on, full of obstacles, hardships, and disappointments. No matter what kind of year you have had, we all press on to another year. I am especially entertained this time of year by all the “get healthy” propaganda. Gym memberships, home fitness equipment, and diet plans are just a few of the life improvements that are being sold. Everyone has the best intentions, but by the time the end of January rolls around, the commitment to change has vanished along with all the leftover Christmas cookies.
On the other hand, I like to think of the beginning of the year as a time for spiritual refreshing. It’s a time to reflect back on the prior year, take note of all the successes, as well as the missteps. It’s a time to seek God’s help in becoming more like Him in the new year.
Unfortunately, many of us get too distracted with the missteps that we fail to see all the areas where we have succeeded. Discouragement sets in, and there is a tendency to return to, and sometimes long for, the lifestyle we used to live. That was, however, a life before we allowed Christ into it. People forget how empty and broken their life actually was before Jesus entered in.
There is a woman in the Bible who also made this tragic mistake. I am talking about Lot’s wife. She and her family were living in a depraved land filled with immorality and debauchery. Because of the persistent prayers of Lot’s uncle, Abraham, God graciously removed them from the judgment and destruction that was about to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah. But, Lot’s wife had gotten so used to the sinful lifestyle she was engrossed in that she failed to recognize the grace upon her life and the freedom God was granting her. And although she was warned not to, she looked back with fondness on the sins of her past, which ultimately brought destruction on her life.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. – Genesis 19:25
Ladies, it’s a new year and a fresh slate. Keep walking in the direction that God is calling you. Longing to go back to a life without Jesus will only cause heartache. Keep running the race for God, and His favor and abundant blessings will follow. Ready or not, 2016 is coming. There’s no turning back!
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14
