Another chance is one of God’s greatest gifts.
Many people make New Year’s Resolutions that involve them taking on new challenges, creating new vision boards, wanting to do this, wanting to do that, and they are oblivious to the reality that there is quite a bit they did not achieve from last year’s list. One of the reasons we face failure is that we are swayed by the wind. With every new trend and mode of influence, there we are. We follow certain people—sometimes too closely—and neglect the responsibility God gave us to follow our own desires, mistaking them as His will for our lives. There are not too many occurrences in Scripture where God gave someone an assignment, they did not complete it, yet God trusted them with something new. That would be irresponsible on God’s part. We cannot preach to others how if we are faithful over a few things we will be made rulers over many, when we find it difficult to experience God in the places He has called us to be.
One of my favorite parts of the book of Jonah is the lesson of restoration. God gave Jonah an assignment, yet he refused. Instead of obedience, he was disobedient, ran from God, tried to commit suicide by telling the sailors on the boat to throw him overboard, yet God spared his life, saving him by preparing a great fish to swallow him alive. For three days and three nights God protected Jonah, who was deep in the sea in the belly of a great fish. Once he seems to repent of his ways, God ordered the fish to release Jonah, and He gives Jonah his assignment back. Want to see God’s newness in your life? Pay attention to what He’s giving back to you. What has God called us to that we let go of, and honestly, without His word? Don’t take on too much trying to show how faithful you are. Being an Instagram influencer is tempting, gaining a following on TikTok is nice to some, but what did God cal you to do that you walked away from in 2021? I believe in vision boards and writing things down and when I took my hiatus from blogging a year ago, one of the first things I put in my journal on things I wanted to do was be faithful over this blog. God called me to this years ago and He has not told me to stop; vlogging is nice, but when God calls me to that sphere, then I will do it, but I will continue to be faithful over this until God tells me to wrap up Guided by Grace.
In 2022, put a few things on your list that you did not finish in 2021. Like Jonah, God wants to restore to you what you lost, what was stolen from you, what you gave up because you lost hope, or things you just said no to out of a prideful heart. God is quite exceptional in giving back things we thought we lost for good. God’s best acts are His acts of restoration—giving life back to the dead, giving health back to the sick, giving sight back to the blind, giving food back to the hungry, giving peace back to the oppressed, bringing families back together, God’s newness rests in His restoration. What is it that you want God to restore that you think is too far gone? What is that thing you desire that you know people will sigh if they knew you still wanted it? Maybe this is the year of restoration for you. But this time, be a good steward over it and enjoy living in God’s restoration. If God did it for Issa and Lawrence, He can do it for you.
Until next time, continue to stay guided by grace,
Tra
Guided by Grace 