Bringing Balance to the New Year

 Early on New Year's Day, I was laying awake, wishing I could sleep in a little later, but pondered in my mind this was the first morning of 2021. The sound of a ping from the other room alerted me that a text had come in to my cell phone. If someone was reaching out this early in the morning, it needed some attention.

Grabbing my coffee and my phone, the text was from a dear friend, sharing concern about a loved one who is struggling with illness in the hospital. The text conversation went from her sharing concern, to my giving an update. The loved one is in very serious condition and my friend shared the depth of her prayer of pleading with God for the miracle that is needed. But she also shared the alternative, if God didn't answer the prayer the way we would like, He was still in control. "Does that make sense?" she asked. 

Wrapped in a cozy blanket, coffee and Bible in hand, our text conversation continued. Some hard thoughts were shared, thoughts of those critical times where we place our longings and desires aside for the good of others. No matter the outcome, God is still God. He is in control and we can wrap that truth around our souls. 

These were pretty deep thoughts to begin the New Year! My devotion followed the theme with a reminder of the balance of mercy and truth. Mercy alone is kind and gracious but offers no depth or encouragement to change. Truth given without a dose of mercy can cut sharply and deeply. Blended together, hard issues can be approached, discussed or dealt with accompanied by the softness needed to cushion and encourage spiritual growth and depth. 

This year is beginning with several hard things. Loved ones and friends in the hospital, a local accident that resulted in a fatality. A young man we know involved in an accident and in the hospital. Life can be hard, we hurt for others. Hard and meaningful conversations will be needed. We will need to come face to face with things we would rather not have to deal with. But Grace......grace helps cushion us in the hard times and equips us to go through them. 

So as we bravely face the unknowns of 2021 - we can move forward with truth and grace, even in the midst of hard things. 

You’re meant to do hard and holy things because they are the next thing — to get to the best thing.

You’re made to do hard and holy things — because there’s no other way to get to the happy and holy things.

Be small. Be Loved. Beloved.

Let yourself be loved anyway He wants to love you. God is always, always good & you are always, always, always. loved.

Be still …. & know.

Believe in Him for impossABLE things.

Believe in Him who makes the ridiculously impossible into the miraculously possible,
the unbelievable into the you-better-believe-it,
the never into the now.

Be the brave people who pray it bold in the space between the end of one year & the beginning of a New Year: BUT GOD.

In the middle of things seemingly not working out for us —- God is working out something in us.

Find Sticky Notes for the Soul HERE to give printable reminders of the beautiful balance of grace and truth for your New Year.