Call Your 2015 What You Want

Ingredients of a Godly Life

As this year wraps up, I realized I learned more, I experienced more. I learned more about God—that He will always answer my prayers but sometimes it would cause me a price that I would never imagine when He does. Reality is, in our lives, something is always dying while something else is coming alive. I admit 2015 was never all good. Actually, there is no point in time when everything is going to be all good in our lives. That’s when reading the Bible (meditating, studying, and applying) comes in. I learned more to hold on to His promises just like believing in my heart what Romans 8:28 says to bring forth His purpose of my life. Even when I have experienced pain, God is still fulfilling His promises. 

But what if, great strength is always born out of great sorrow? Perhaps, the greatest trials I have ever gone through are the very things that God used to fortify the greatest strength in me. My failures this year had brought sorrow that might had reduced my strength but my sorrow this 2015 can become my strength in 2016.

Life is not easy. It is simple but never complicated.

This 2015, I had some sad situations but I have a great GOD. I had a sorrow but am producing even more strength. In fact, I don’t get to choose everything that comes into my life but I do as a child of God get to choose what I call whatever comes into my life. So out of my sorrow, I chose to see strength. I’m not going to call it what it was anymore, I’m going to call it what God says it is and what it can be in His name because I’ve got naming rights. So when I can change the situation, I do it. But when I can’t and can’t call it back, I change the name. People might recommend certain names for me but only my Heavenly Father gets to sign off on it and prove it. Unless I make something, I don’t get to name it because only the maker has the naming rights.

Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel (Genesis 35:15). The place is used to be called as Luz. I call my year when God made me stronger and sharper “Finished as a Warrior”. With every blessing that I have received, God made known to me that His Word is alive and active. So, I can’t be dead and passive.  As I look back His faithfulness this entire year, I look how good God is. He gave me what I prayed for. Indeed, everything is reciprocal even in blessings. With the blessings comes with some burdens that I might not account for. Healthy relationships are reciprocal too. It can’t be one-sided. Nothing turns out good if it is not shared, if give-and-take is not part of the process.

God is light. In Him, there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

And now, less than two days left, 2016 gladly welcomes me, you, and us. It’s now the perfect time to move on 2016! Why? Because Genesis 35:16-20 inspires us to do so. Above all, God has exalted Jesus to the highest places and is given the Name above every name. Whatever your 2015’s name is, one thing I do know, there is a Name above that name—His Name is JESUS. Nobody has power and strength like Him. In the scriptures of Isaiah, He is referred as a man of sorrow acquainted with gift.

Love came down.

Thank You, Abba father for showing up this 2015 despite the times I ran away and turned my back on You. Thank You that I've always got Your back. Thank You that Your presence created heaven in my situations this year. Thank You that You waited for me to be a blessing again this year just like Benjamin. Thank You that You are GOD.