“I’ll be glad when this year’s over!”

People everywhere seem to be wishing this year will end so that a better year can begin. COVID-19 brought lockdowns, slowdowns, and shutdowns, and racial tensions became the excuse for rioting, looting, and statue-toppling.

The year began with a presidential impeachment trial, and is ending with a presidential election already dealing with claims of voter fraud. Now, for good measure is the controversy over a nominee to the Supreme Court and thousands of emails detailing the family scandal of one running for president. It’s a year many would like to forget.

But just turning a calendar page does not automatically make anything better. Just as we don’t feel any different (older) on our birthday, January 1, 2021 will not be significantly different from December 31, 2020, nor will it somehow mark the beginning of a new, golden era.

Let’s think about it for a moment:

The measures to contain the Corona virus are not going away. As long as people are frightened by the threat of disease, they are not going suddenly to burst forth from their bunkers. It’s likely that whoever wins the presidential election, the other side will challenge the results in court. Racial tensions are far from being resolved, and as long as we have those who make race an excuse for rioting and city governments which allow it, that may well continue, too.

“Bob, you’re being negative.” No, that is life in a fallen world, and God’s people not only will survive, we will thrive. First, as challenging as this year has been, we have not seen anything like the devastation many nations have been experiencing for years. Most places in our nation still are still very good, safe places in which to live.

Second, our Lord graciously uses our trials, whatever they may be, for His glory and our good. Neither Satan nor human governments can throw anything at us that He will not use to bless us (Romans 8:28).

So, whatever we do, let’s not wish away the rest of the year. Much better to say, “This is the day (week, month, year) that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace
for those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11


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