This year, I resolve

Happy new year! I am not one that makes a big deal of new year's resolutions, but a commitment that I would like to make just happened to occur to me on New Year's Eve. So now, I get to join the crowds of resolvers. :)

I have decided to make a specific point to let the Lord strengthen my faith by seeing Him work. I tend to try to be self-sufficient much of the time, but that robs God of the opportunity to show Himself strong on my behalf and robs me of the joy of seeing Him work. I think that my problem is that I simply am not conscious enough of His active presence in my daily activities. Many times, it does not even occur to me to ask God to meet a need Himself before I go out on my own and finagle some inferior way to work out what I think needs to happen. What might I be missing out on?

I know that I am missing out on the sweetness that we could have in our relationship if I were thinking about His power and love and learning what He can do.

Jeremiah 9:23,24 says, "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."

By leaving things in God's hands, I can fully give Him the glory for anything that happens: I am not the one who did it; instead, I will learn about what God can do.

The next time I am trying to figure out how to achieve something, whether it be solving a problem, acquiring something, or whatever, I commit to stop and pray about it for a while and see whether God would like to take care of it without my "brilliant" plans. Like the above verses say, I need to have a lower opinion of my own wisdom, might, and riches and instead glory in God's lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness.

By the end of the year, I would like to have a list of testimonies of how God has clearly worked; and along with that list, I would like to have a more mature faith. Since my father died when I was young, Mom and I have seen countless examples of how God can work miracles on a daily basis. I would love to see even more! I can't wait to see what my mighty God is going to do.

I would love to hear testimonies any time of what God has been doing for you, too. Let us praise Him together!