Happy New Year! New Year, New Gratitude!
Congratulations and welcome to the year 2021!
2020 was like a year like never before, and it is with great gratitude that you and I are alive and well in this New Year 2021.
As I reflect on the last year 2020 and all its various events, the only feeling I have is that of Gratitude. Whilst the events and occurrence of last year had many of us in constant fear and state of anxiety, one thing is certain, the Love and Mercy of God over our lives was evident. It is almost like the Lord chose the year 2020 to boast of his love for us, and brought to manifestation Psalm 91:7 “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you” because truly there was calamity and diseases all around us and none of it came near us. For this divine protection, we express nothing but Gratitude!
As we embark on this New Year, I encourage you to set some time apart to reflect on last year and take time out to set some goals and plan for the year 2021. One lesson we have all learnt from 2020 is that only God knows tomorrow, however we can find several references in the Bible, which encourages us to plan ahead.
Proverbs 21: 5: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty only comes to poverty.’
Proverbs 3: 5-6 teaches us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways and he shall direct your paths.”
Some other verses to look into are: Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 24:27, Philippians 4:6, Proverbs 6: 6-8, Luke 14: 28-30
These verses narrates the importance of taking time out to plan and taking those plans to God because only he can help us in actualising these plans. While we set time out to make our plans, let us ensure that we set goals for all areas of our lives.
Below are some suggested areas in which we can plan and set improvement goals:
Spiritual goals – A simple goal of reading a chapter of Psalm a day, can be the beginning of a closer relationship with God. Also praying together daily as a family, or studying the Bible together on a designated day of the week, can also go a long way to growing spiritually.
Financial goals – There are many ways you can set goals to improve your finances. It could be a plan to payoff debts or one to save a certain amount. You can set a saving target, no matter how small, for example putting away £100 a month will give £1200 at the end of the year.
Career/ Business goals – Are you looking to progress in your career or establish a new business this year? A goal to complete a professional course or online business courses could help with this. The Lord’s plan is not for us to be stagnant, let us actively plan for progress and promotion.
Health/ Fitness goals – Plan to get general check-ups with your GP; request for a full body MOT and make a plan to do this at least 3 times a year. Watch what you eat, reduce salt and minimise the consumption of processed foods, especially for the children. Try to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, setting a goal to walk for 30mins a day, could significantly improve your cardiovascular health. Remember Health is Wealth.
Family/Relationship goals – The pandemic has taught us the importance of family and having loved ones around, while this is second nature to some, some might need to consciously plan ahead to ensure that they do not forget, to check up on loved ones or even close family members. Setting a goal to spend uninterrupted time with your children, or your spouse weekly can lead to better communication, and clearer understanding of each others’ needs.
Our holistic health and general well being is as important as our spiritual life as this will help us in staying focused and enable us to serve God without distractions.
Once again, Welcome to the Year 2021, whilst we cannot predict what the year will bring, I want us to be rest assured that nothing can separate us from the love of God. I wish you a year full of God’s Love, Mercy and Favour.
Remain Blessed
Oyeteju Olanrewaju
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Really insightful, I’ll try to put some of these into practice.