My custom at the end of the year is to take some time to reflect on the past year, thinking through both the joys and the challenges and looking to see God’s faithfulness, what he has taught me, and where I should try to continue to grow in the new year. This year, as I reflected, four themes came to the surface. Each is represented by a song and a verse that has been meaningful to me this year. These are the four things that I feel that God has been teaching me and impressing upon my heart in 2024, so I’ll share them here with you.
Sanctification is a process. God IS doing his work in me, and he WILL complete it. My journey and progress won’t look the same as someone else. But that doesn’t mean I should be discouraged. If I am faithful to follow and obey Christ, he will be faithful to complete his sanctifying work in me.
Song: God Is In No Hurry (Skye Peterson)
Verse: Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Turn to Jesus with all the hard stuff: pain, confusion, loss, grief, worry, fear, anxiety. All of it – my Savior wants to bear it for me.
Song: Afflicted Saint to Christ Draw Near (Sovereign Grace)
Verse: 1 Peter 5:7 “…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
Waiting is hard, but necessary. God’s plan and God’s timing are always best. I can’t always see what he is doing, but I can trust him to have my best in mind.
Song: The Meantime (Joshua Leventhal)
Verse: Psalm 27:14 “Wait for Yahweh; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for Yahweh.”
Love endures all things. My fiancé has shown this to me in the way that he has loved me through all of my emotional ups and downs this year. He has never given up, even when he doesn’t know what to say or how to help me. I am so thankful for the way that he has modeled Christ’s love to me. And I look forward to being his wife in 123 days!
Song: Love Endures All Things (John Lucas)
Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:7 “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
It is with great joy and eager expectation that I look forward to what God is going to do in my life in 2025. Happy New Year, everyone!