04 Jan Don’t Panic – God Will Help You!
It’s Thursday, January 4th. The new year has launched, the ship is pulling away from the pier… and you’re still packing your dang bags. You feel panic setting in because you don’t have Christmas put away yet. You don’t have a 2018 calendar yet. You don’t have a 2018 plan yet. Your word-for-the-year seems to be “hurry”, and the theme of your 2018 life thus far is, “I’m already behind!”
For the love! You can’t see the “forest” of 2018 for all the cotton-pickin 2017 “trees” still blocking your way! Is that you?
Well, you’re not alone, friend. I can so relate. And I’m here to tell you- DON’T PANIC! It’s ok. God’s got you and God’s already got this year under His control. He will set the #PACE for you… HE WILL HELP YOU!
This was such a comforting welcome to me as I opened my Bible on January 1st, already feeling so far behind: “I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice…For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! Fear not…I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:10, 13, 14). There it is- right there in the God-breathed, living-and-active, authoritative and inerrant, very Words of YOUR GOD… 3 times: “I WILL HELP YOU! “ And He will.
You do your part, do your best, and God will do His part to help you. So, kick that panic to the curb and relax into this year with God’s help, under His loving and watchful eye. He always does what He says He will do, and He’s already told you that He will help you. That’s His promise to you. Believe Him. Take some time to just… be. Be with Him. Let Him set your pace for this new year. Run YOUR RACE at YOUR PACE and don’t try to keep up with everyone else. Follow the Good Shepherd and He will lead you, not chase you. He will set your pace- a pace that enables you to flourish; to be what He created you to be, and to do what He purposes for you to do in this new year.
READ: Psalm 41, ESV & The Message and be encouraged in God’s Word today!
xo –P