Forgetting Those Things That Are Behind....

...one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly calling in Jesus Christ  Philippians 3:14

The apostle Paul had a real excuse to not want to press on to a higher calling. He had been persecuting the Christian Church. Until that day that he met Jesus, and was converted to Christianity himself. After that, he stopped killing Christians and started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But things didn't always become wonderful when he met Jesus. In fact, his life probably got worse. He was beaten, robbed and shipped wrecked from all kinds of people in his travels. 2 Corinthians 11:25

So if anyone had an excuse to get mad at God after they had been saved, it was Paul.

Just because we  become Christians, it does not mean our lives are suddenly going to be wonderful. And yet, sometimes that is what we think. But God does not promise that to us. What does he promise?

In the world, we will have trouble. But he tells us these things so that we will have peace in him, and to take heart because he has already overcome the world. John 16:33.

How was 2018 for you?

Peaceful? Happy? Wonderful?....or was it......

Unsettled? Chaotic? Unhappy?

If it has been a bad year for you, it can get better. Sometimes it depends on our attitudes, Are we grateful to God, giving him thanks for the blessings we do have, like the apostle Paul. Or do we sit around feeling sorry for ourselves, or begrudging the fact that if God really did love us, he would not put us through the troubles we find ourselves in.

The bad things happening in the world or in our own families even does not have to define us as unhappy people, Tomorrow can start us off on a year long search for those things that God wants to teach us. And during the process, we can have the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10.) Because in the long run, that is really what he wants to give us. His strength to get through whatever it is that we are going through.

Start off the new year right. Spend time learning the things of God. Teaching them to your families. The eternal lessons of life, are more important then anything that comes in whatever is second in our lives. When we get that into our spirits, we can begin to get that peace that only Jesus can fully give. And God will help us find the answers to those things that may be making us unhappy and depressed. He has the answers that we need. We just have to look to him for them.

Have a Happy and Blest beginning to the New Year, Friends.