What a difference a year can make! As many do at this time of year, you often take a break and reflect on the year that has been, reminisce on all the memories and look ahead to the new year.
If I am to be completely honest, I got to the end of last year and I felt I had nothing to be thankful for. Kind of a ‘waste of a year’ if you will. Now I know that isn’t true, and I am very blessed and had a lot to be thankful for, but it certainly didn’t feel that way. I felt I had a lot of unanswered prayers and a lot more questions than answers. We got to New Years, and everyone was rattling off what they were thankful for, and I truly felt I didn’t have an answer. In hindsight I can see the devil was really playing on that, but at the time that was how I felt.
Despite feeling like that, I remained faithful, kept praying and I knew God was going to pull through, as He always does. As many of us know, in His timing and not our timing. I kept praying that he would answer my prayers, and that 2024 would be ‘My Year’. And let me tell you, He pulled through for me! Heading into New Year’s this year, I truly feel I have so much to be thankful for! As I’m sure is the case for all of us, there are still things I’m praying for, but as I look back and reflect on 2024, I am extremely thankful for all He has done and the year that it was!
So, as you reflect on the year that has been, and the year that is ahead, I encourage you to trust in His timing. If you feel this year hasn’t been the best, or you are still waiting for some prayers to be answered, trust His timing. I know, easier said than done, but I hope this devotion can encourage you to trust in Him and trust in His timing. He will pull through for you!
When I was feeling down, He would often remind me of Jeremiah 29:11, so I will leave you with that –
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jackson