Since we're in the early days of 2024, I'm still reflecting on the changes I hope to make or see in this new year. You might also be thinking about the new directions you wish your own life would take.
But have you stopped to consider the new discoveries, plans, or actions God might have in store for you this year?
God is always up to something new.
"Behold I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)
As we continue another orbit around the sun, it's natural to wonder what miracles He may reveal. Will it be a career breakthrough? A healing touch from God for us or someone we love? Perhaps a spiritual awakening awaits us, promising to infuse our lives with renewed faith and transformations.
Are you ready to experience a year filled with new miracles and blessings, all within the reach of faith's grasp?
Set your expectations high, because we serve a big God, who is capable of "more than we could ever ask for or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20, NIRV).
God Wants Us to Expect Him to Show Up
Expectation is a pivotal element in our relationship with God, fostering a connection that welcomes in His omnipotence and infinite possibilities. By holding faith in His actions, we invite God to intervene and reveal His divine purpose in our lives.
I think often about what Joe Crider, a former minister of music at Highview Baptist Church said over a decade ago at a Wednesday night choir practice. He inspired us to look for "God moments" in our day-to-day lives.
Crider emphasized that the more we asked God for these moments, and the more we actively sought them and recorded them in some way (whether in a journal entry, a Facebook post, or a blog article), the more we would experience God's presence.
This isn't a new concept. It echoes God's own words as He encourages His people to seek His divine wisdom.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV)
On that memorable Wednesday night, I embraced the challenge with open arms. Now, I extend the same to you, urging you to embark on this faith-filled journey for yourself.
Ask God to reveal Himself, be vigilant in watching for His response, and maintain a record of these spiritual encounters to strengthen your faith for years to come.
Reflecting on the Previous Year
Anticipating the work God wants to do within us, for us, and through us in the new year is crucial. However, reflecting on God's previous blessings and lessons is equally vital to our faith journey.
The word "remember" appears nearly 200 times in the Bible. In most cases, this word is spoken in the form of a command from God to His people. As Brother Jim highlighted in a recent sermon on the book of Exodus, the book of Deuteronomy serves as a reiterated narrative of the Law God gave Moses in Exodus 20.
This was more than just a history lesson. It was a poignant reminder of how God rescued the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, aimed at reinforcing their faith in and love for Him.
Throughout the Scriptures, God calls His people to remember Him and His past deeds of divine intervention because remembering builds our faith.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV)
Remembering God's Past Faithfulness
Earlier this year, my family's move to a new house was tested when our furnace failed in the middle of a severe cold snap. Despite the frustration and the extended time it took to diagnose the real problem, I trusted in God's provision and His timing for the resolution of the issue. My faith in Him assured me that everything would eventually work out.
I was able to believe that because I'd seen Him work in a similar situation. We'd been through this before, having dealt with a dead furnace a few months earlier in the house we were renting. The landlord fixed the furnace for us, but he refused to replace the ancient unit. It didn't take us long to discover why. Less than sixty days later, we got a 30-day notice to move because he was selling the house to unload the problem onto someone else.
Our faith in God remained steadfast even though we couldn't see how He would make a way for us to move into a house of our own. We'd lost two houses to foreclosure in the past, and we'd been unable to get a loan before now.
But God always provided shelter for our family because He is a Provider, and I knew He wasn't about to stop being who He is.
God Moves in Mysterious Ways ... and He Keeps Moving
Amazingly, this time we were able to get a loan to buy my grandmother's old house, all in God's timing and with His help. The answer to hundreds of prayers prayed over the past decade came in the form of a house that has been the scene of many personal blessings and at least one major miracle in the life of our family.
Shortly after my older girl was born in January 2009, an infamous ice storm struck Louisville. Over 200,000 people lost power, including us. The morning after I brought my newborn baby home from the hospital, our power went out. Thus began another chapter in our family's narrative of faith and resilience.
I sat huddled on the couch, cradling my infant in a protective embrace, while my husband diligently added wood to the fireplace. As we both offered silent prayers for continued warmth, my cell phone rang. A call from my mother brought news of an apparent miracle. My grandmother still had power at her house.
With faith and hope guiding us, we piled into the car and traveled across town to the warmth of my grandmother's house. My daughter spent the first week or so of her life living in this house, the same house we're living in now.
God has never left us homeless. Or without heat. Even when the furnace wasn't working, we had space heaters that did. And He won't leave us uncared-for. I believe it with every fiber of my being because I've seen His steadfast love and presence in our lives.
And I remember.
"Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? ... Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
So, don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:26-33, NLT)
How Has He Shown Himself Faithful to You?
As we eagerly anticipate what God will do this year, it's important to remember and recognize His faithfulness in the past. By reflecting on the moments when He showed up and provided for us, we are reminded of His unwavering love and provision. This recognition strengthens our faith and gives us confidence that He will continue to work miracles in our lives.
What moments of breakthrough and blessing did you have in 2023? What personal miracles did you experience? What glimpses of God did you catch? What hardships did you face? What lessons did you learn from them? Did you sense that God was with you, even during the tough times? Do you believe, without a doubt, in His love for you?
By acknowledging the faithfulness of God in the past and remembering all the ways He has shown, and continues to show, us His love, we can walk through this year with a sense of gratitude, purpose, confidence in His provision, and faith in His person.
Live with Hope and Anticipation
As we journey into the second quarter of 2024, full of hope and anticipation, let us remember that God is always at work in our lives. By expecting His new thing and trusting His heart and His will, we position ourselves to receive the blessings and breakthroughs He has in store. In faith, let us open our hearts to God's divine direction and eagerly anticipate the miracles He will work in our lives this year.
Remember, the key to experiencing God's miracles and blessings is to have faith, expect Him to work, and recall how He has blessed you in the past. May this year be filled with fresh encounters with God that surpass your most vivid dreams. Place your trust in Him, and watch as He exceeds your expectations.