Its that time of year when we balance looking back with looking ahead. We look back at the regrets and mistakes of the past year and vow not to repeat them. We look back at the joys and blessings and try to figure out how to keep them.
We map a New Year filled with all the good and none and of the bad; make our plans and resolutions, all the while declining to acknowledge that we aren’t really in control.
Remember Woody Allen’s saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans”? I don’t envision Him sitting up in heaven blatantly thwarting my dreams for a perfect life. I do see Him smiling and asking, “Why do you insist on going your own way? Why don’t you listen to My voice and let Me help you?”
All too often my plans are for comfort, calm, and ease. They are not big enough, brave enough or strong enough. God knows me better than I know myself and He wants me to be the person He created me to be. It may not be the comfortable and easy path, but it will be the one that brings my truest joy.
The days I wake up wondering what God has in store go much better than the ones I blindly push ahead with my own ideas. An attitude of, “What do you want me to do today, Lord?” goes much better than “Here’s what I want YOU to do today, Lord.”
The Serenity prayer has popped into my head quite often lately:
God, grant me the serenity to accept
the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
As I consider problems in the world or at work, I don’t want to be the person who gets everyone riled up about issues for which I have no solution. But I also don’t want to be the person who lets the world float by, blissfully ignoring the ways I could improve it.
So, my word for 2020 is “Cooperate.” To cooperate with God, His plans, His blessings; to stop complaining and resisting; to enjoy what He gives and be thankful even if He takes. I will be open to the road ahead and the Holy Spirit’s promptings. I know it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it!
How about you -do you pick a word for the year? If so, please share below. We’ll pray for your success!
For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work (Phil. 2:13).
O.K., this is two words but they are “Find Joy”. I’ve thought about this all day, and it helped me to realize that there is joy in every moment but we often don’t take the time to recognize, appreciate or savor it. Even if it’s a sad situation, like comforting someone who has just lost a loved one, there is joy in the ability to comfort. If I’m suffering from the pain of my needing to be replaced knees, there is joy in receiving cortisone injections and knowing that replacements will alleviate my pain. But most importantly, there is joy in every interaction with my husband and my mom even in the midst of caregiving, because they are here to enjoy. I am the product of a Jesuit education, so I am very big on “finding God in all things”. I’d like to amend that to “Finding joy in all things”.
Great word, Mary- even if it is two words : )
On this side of heaven joy and sorrow will always be intertwined. I will be praying for you to find your joy in every moment of 2020.