January, Oh, January!

by | Jan 10, 2013 | Uncategorized | 2 comments

January is such a difficult month for me.  It’s exciting to think of the promises of a new year, but it’s cold so all I want to do is wrap up in a soft, warm blanket (preferably my Chicago Bears one).

Speaking of my favorite NFL team… January REALLY stinks when the Bears don’t make the playoffs.  And they didn’t this year!  Boohoo!

So what is a girl to do???  I want to get busy tackling my goals for 2013, but I’m so dang depressed by the weather and circumstances.  BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

Sounds like I need to pull up my big girl panties and get a move on!

My negative outlook and selfish dilemma (basically called laziness) reminds me of Jesus predicting his own death and Peter telling Jesus that he didn’t want him to suffer, be killed and be raised to life on the third day – all because Peter was thinking selfishly. (BTW – I’m mighty thankful Jesus did!)

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”  Matthew 16:23

How many times am I my own stumbling block?  And how often do I have my mind on the things of GOD????  Uhhhh.

Focusing on my feelings and circumstances only leaves me restless and needy.  But when I look outside of myself and into a world that needs my help, my service, my time and my energy I find that I’ve got it better than most.

Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal. John 6:27

The world tells me to wallow in self pity, set goals for personal gain and that life is all about ME.

So. Not. True.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. … 2Timothy 3:1-17

Sadly, I often allow the devil to lure me with lies and the promise of an easy road.  He is a master of disguise and wields his power to make us think that God doesn’t care or doesn’t want us to succeed.

The truth is that life is not about what’s in it for ME.  And I am not No. 1….God is.

So, how can I make January a better month and dispel the depression and negativity?

  1. Pray for someone else.
  2. Do something for someone else.
  3. Make a list of things that I’m grateful for.

I’ve heard it somewhere that if you think you are having nervous breakdown, the best thing to do is to help someone else.

This trick gets our focus off of ourselves and onto Godly ways.

Hope this helps you get your year started off right!!  The Lord knows we can use all the help we can get!!

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 20:13 – Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

2 Comments

  1. Jason

    That passage from 2 Timothy certainly sounds like today’s world! Unfortunately, there is a little bit of some of these in all of us. No matter how hard we try, the nature of human is selfish and sinful. I will do great for a little while and keep reminding myself of the passage from Matthew 6:19 – 21. Next thing you know, I am turning around spending my day shopping up those treasures for here and thinking about the desires of self. God, please help us all and forgive us of our failures!

    Reply
    • meghays

      It is definitely a constant battle, Jason! I do the exact same thing. Thank God that He loves us so much :o)

      Reply

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