Of the year. . .
And what a year it was. We mused on this a few days ago, and it bears repeating. Many who are looking for a different and somehow miraculously better year in 2021 may be disappointed.
No, I’m not a prophet, but we should, by now, see that our present situation is not about to change any time soon.
The danger is that many who have been waiting for the curve to flatten, and then the rate of infections to go down, and then the vaccine, have been hoping against hope that something would change. Those repeatedly shattered expectations take their toll, and eventually lead to depressive thoughts and even more fear.
By now, even more people have become accustomed to life in their bunker, and may never feel safe enough to venture back into what we used to call “normal life.”
But trials should not surprise a believer in Jesus. He taught us, along with the collective witness of the Bible, to expect upheavals and societal crises in a fallen world, and to trust God in them and through them.
This is why we need to keep finding new ways to meet and interact with other believers. It’s why we can’t afford to give in to fear, or allow worry to control our lives. It’s why we must redouble our efforts to know the Scriptures and the power of God for overcoming both fear and our circumstances.
There are many who are predicting what will happen in the coming year. My only prediction is that we will have even more opportunities to trust God and show courage and stability to a very fearful and unstable, lost world.
Yes, believer, it can be a Happy New Year!
“I have said these things to you
that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation.
But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33