Stay With God In The New Year

“…And they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 NKJV

It’s a new year and another opportunity to do great things. You’ve probably written down your goals, a redefined mission statement, or prepared a life strategy document that you’ll run with for the year. Beautiful!

But in all your planning, have you made God a part of it? Scripture already tells us that God is with us. We say it because it is written, but do we believe it? And if we do, have we also agreed to stay with Him?

Remember when you were a child and went for a walk with a parent or guardian that you adored? At the slightest sign of danger, you’d run behind them for refuge because you know they’re with you and you are with them. Now also try to remember the times you faced danger but there was nobody to shield you. What did you do? You either froze in your tracks or ran away.

For many of us, even though God is with us, we freeze or run away at the slightest sign of danger or difficulty. Why? We haven’t acknowledged His presence, so He watches us fret as if He’s not there. He tries to assure us that he’s there, but we don’t listen because we haven’t acknowledged his presence.

How can you ensure you stay with Him this year?

1. Desire it

If you don’t want it, you won’t go after it. You can blame everything else for that lack of desire, but the truth is you never wanted it bad enough.

Choose to stay and you’ll see how this new relationship can positively affect your work this year.

2. Plan for it

Desires don’t become reality without a plan. Adding this as a goal is one of the first steps to converting that desire into reality.

When you add it to your plan, it becomes possible.

3. Take the time

Action is where many of us fall short. This is why governments keep deliberating on the same issues yearly because taking action is hard.

But if you must do work that you can say was booming by the end of the year, then understand that staying with God isn’t just something on your to-do list but it has the power to define your to-do list.

God is with you. He has always been. But you also must be with Him for this year to be as fulfilling as you want it to be. As an author wrote, “You are as close to God today as you want to be, planned to be and took time to be”. So, let’s do the needful.

Happy new year!