A Sure-Fire Way To Succeed In The New Year

Well its the dawn of a new year:  2015.

If you're like me, I want 2015 to be the best year yet -- robust, filled with faith, life and meaning!

But how does happen?  

In a phrase:  by becoming more hardy in the Lord.  Translated:  by reasserting, reclaiming the truth of Philippians 4:13 -- "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13, NKJV).  

For though circumstances change, Christ never changes -- a steady, reliable, bulwark of 'muscle' and meaning -- no matter what a new year brings.  

A number of years ago, Naomi Zimmerman, one of the saints of our congregation, led a staff devotional entitled: “Ten Predictions For 2011.”  Well we assumed Naomi would make predictions about the economy, the war in the Middle East, President Obama.  But not Naomi; why she went a different direction!  Why Naomi’s predictions for 2011 (which are applicable for any year!) were as follows:

• “The Bible will still have all the answers.  
• Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on earth.  
• The Holy Spirit will still be on the move.  
• God will still honor the praises of His people.  
• There will still be God-anointed preaching. 
• There will still be singing unto the Lord.  
• God will still pour out blessings on His people.  
• Jesus will still save the lost.  
• Jesus will still love, but even more!  
• There will still be room at the Cross.”  (Naomi Zimmerman, adapted).  

Wow!  Talk about an encouraging, bolstering word!  For as we focus on Christ and realities within His realm certainty rises, even out of uncertainty -- strength emerges, even out of  fear -- faith develops, even amid concern and doubt.

For in Christ we can become robust, hardy people, no matter what; people with the attributes needed for a new year. For...

• "Hardy people are powerful.  They ask what action they can take at the right time to remedy the situation before them.  They spend little time blaming, bemoaning or brooding 'ain't it awful,' or lamenting they're in the situation they are in.
• Hardy people control their attitude.  They put the difficulty in perspective and ask what choices they have.
• Hardy people meet challenges head on.  Instead of looking at a challenge as a calamity, they look at a challenge as an opportunity; a chance to learn something they otherwise might never have known.
• Hardy people are triumphant.   Challenge is an invitation, not defeat or the worst case scenario.  It is a chance to deepen wisdom and expand inventiveness.  Each inventive, hopeful step is one more step taken toward ultimate triumphant." (anonymous, adapted)

But please note:  such resolute strength is only possible -- ultimately -- through the Lord.  And so don't seek hardiness in 2015, seek the Christ who provides hardiness, and through Christ, strength, courage -- and all else needed for 2015 -- will come.

And so we enter 2015 -- in the words of the Apostle Paul --  "...How changed are my ambitions.  Now I long to know Christ and the power shown by his resurrection:  now I long to share his sufferings, even to die as he died...My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped (Christ) even now.  But I do concentrate on this:  I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead, I go straight for the goal...the honour of being called by God in Christ..."  (Philippians 3:10-14,  J.B. Phillips).

Now that's a sure-fire way to succeed in 2015!  To have a very happy new year!