Don’t Have a Crummy Year!

Rhema TeamJanuary 2019 WOF1 Comment

print

Don’t Have a Crummy Year!

A new year can bring new beginnings. But when the calendar changes, sometimes nothing much has changed in your life. It’s common to hear people say, “I’m so ready for this year to be over!” But you decide how your year goes. It’s up to you! By the time December arrives, I hope you can say you were glad for 2019.

At the end of one year, some people I know seemed unusually upset and ready for a new beginning. I didn’t think it had been a bad year! I thought about what had happened to me. That year I struggled physically. Day after day I woke not feeling well. I spent time in the hospital. Thoughts of never feeling good again bombarded my mind. Even my dog died that year!

It could have been a crummy 12 months. However, when it was over, I didn’t think it was crummy at all. Why? It was because of what I dwelt on. I focused on how good God was. Yes, situations challenged me, but I didn’t let them bother me. It wasn’t about how bad I felt. My prayers often ended with, “Thank You, Father, I will feel good again.” By the end of the year, I had a clean bill of health. That was a good year.

When adversity shows up, you can throw a pity party or rely on a big God. Are you dwelling on what you’re going through? Or are you thinking about God’s goodness?

My grandfather always said life’s challenges are just another opportunity to see how good God is. So whenever you face hardships, don’t let them ruin your year.

God sees your potential, and you should too.Craig W. Hagin

Which Purpose?

Jesus said in John 10:10 (NLT), “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.” The devil wants to put things on you in 2019 just as he did in 2018. If you let him steal, kill, and destroy, he will. But the Bible says if you resist the devil, he will flee from you (James 4:7).

You decide. Will you have a pity party? Or will you have faith in God? What will change your year is what you do with what comes at you.

Jesus goes on to say in John 10:10 (NLT), “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” He didn’t die on the cross for you to have another crummy year! Tough times happen, but it’s not the end of the world. Adversity doesn’t have to define your life. What defines it is when you know who you are in Christ Jesus and that you can make it!

Too many Christians lose their joy when something bad happens. The devil is out to make bad things happen. That’s what he does. He puts obstacles in your way and even uses people as roadblocks, but you can go over or around them. You are an overcomer!

Remember when Jesus told His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake” (Mark 4:35 NLT), and then the storm came? Have you ever felt as though you were in the middle of a lake and everything was falling apart? The same Jesus who told the disciples to cross over is telling you to go to the other side as well.

Your Purpose

I believe it’s essential to recognize your purpose so you can focus on where you are going. It’s not about what you’re going through, but what you’re going to. It’s not about what you have done, but what you will do with Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:13 says we can do all things through Christ. God sees your potential, and you should too.

You decide if your life is awesome or terrible. In church, it’s easy to shout and dance. But at home when you get unexpected bills or bad news from the doctor, what do you believe then? Whom are you putting your faith in? Where is your trust?

Ask yourself, “Do I really trust God?” If so, you won’t have a crummy year when something bad happens. It won’t ruin your day or your life. Instead, you will respond by thinking, “My trust is in Jesus. He wants me to have a good life. I will succeed in whatever God wants me to do. He equips me in every way—financially, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. He’s a good God, and He’s helping me through this situation!”

Stay on God’s Side

Sometimes you can be too hard on yourself. If you belittle yourself, the devil doesn’t need to! If you don’t see your true worth and don’t realize who you are in Christ, you can be your own worst nightmare. Yes, people go through stuff. But you have an advantage if you know Jesus. With Him, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish!

Quit saying it’s tough, and start saying it’s easy. Why? Matthew 11:30 (NLT) says His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It’s not a hard thing to trust in God. It’s easy to let Him work in your life. What’s hard is figuring it out on your own! You don’t know everything, but God does. Together you’re a team! You and God can make 2019 the best year yet!

Faith IN ACTION

No More Crummy Years!

Be determined all year long. Be ready. Be loaded up in the Word. Get started by saying these often:

“I can do all things through Christ” (Phil. 4:13).

“No weapon formed against me succeeds” (Isa. 54:17 NLT).

“I enjoy the rich, satisfying life Jesus gave to me” (John 10:10 NLT).

“I’m the head, not the tail. I’m on top, not the bottom” (Deut. 28:13 NLT).

“I am not condemned. God is for me. Nothing separates me from His love” (Rom. 8:31–39).

“It doesn’t matter what I’ve gone through. I will finish my course with joy” (Acts 20:24).

“I wholeheartedly trust the Lord. He shows me which path to take” (Prov. 3:5–6).



Author

  • Craig W. Hagin

Share this Post

One Comment on “Don’t Have a Crummy Year!”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *