I’ve had my fill of cheesy messages hoping all my dreams come true this new year, or the Christian version of blessing upon blessing. I want to wish you a really tough new year full of challenges, stresses and the like… and here’s why.
The Christian faith is a real pain. Only those who’ve travelled through the valley of the shadow of death, can ever know what its like to fear no evil. The only ones who know what it truly means to follow Christ are those who have picked up their cross. And the glory of the resurrection is mere abstract theology unless you’ve been crucified with Christ.
Five years ago the Lord prompted me to keep a journal and I’ve done so every day ever since. Little did I know that in doing so my sanity if not my life would be preserved. Four years ago everything I relied upon was stripped from me, but as I’ve read and re-read the record of my Father’s faithfulness to me over that terrible time, I’ve come to realise He is no man’s debtor, but more than makes up for what was lost. And in and through it all I’ve come to appreciate the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unfathomable love of God, and the utterly essential fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Mere words came alive and brought me life I couldn’t have known any other way.
One conundrum which I’ve struggled with a lot in my journal is this: I wouldn’t wish what I’ve been through on anyone in the world; but then again I wouldn’t have missed what I’ve discovered through it for anything in the world. So what do I pray for young people? It’s a tough call, but ultimately I’ve gone for the tough prayer: Give them a tough new year, so they might see your glory!
