Power of Perspective

Well, it's that very familiar time of the year. When the world gathers to greet the coming of a new year. For many people, the new year is a new start for them as they set new goals, visions, and make changes in their lives for the better.
After a guilty season of scrumptious sweets, many people are motivated to start to exercise and diet (yeah, you know it's been your resolution every year... come on). Some other goals that are set include to quit smoking, eat better, start school, start a business and other life changing actions.
But what happens in February? Or March? Or by the Summer? Sadly, most people lose their motivation that they had in the beginning of the year and those goals set for the new year are now postponed to be their New Year's resolution for the following year.

Nothing changes.

Except the year.

Last year, I was challenged by a very encouraging church leader to write down my visions for the year in my journal. After several weeks of persistently asking me if I had done it yet, I finally sat down one night in my bedroom, and wrote down all that I wanted to accomplish in the year 2012. Many of my goals had to do with my vision for the music program for young kids God birthed in me a couple of years ago. When I look back and read what I wrote, I am blown away with how much was accomplished and fulfilled in that year. This is because throughout the year, I went back to my journal entry and would read my vision and declare it in my prayer time. I would thank God for answering my prayers before they would even come to past. There is a lot of power when we unleash our faith in that manner.

One of my favorite Bible scriptures is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 which reads,

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 

Rejoice always. This doesn't mean to rejoice only in the good times when everything is working out for you. Anyone can do that. Always includes the times when you are facing struggles and feel as if nothing is turning out how you want it to be. This is a difficult thing to do when you are seeing the difficulties before you. However, we are called to see past what our physical eyes see and keep our eyes focused on God's promises for our lives which are filled with only good things. Good things. Very good things!
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28).
Our perspective when we are going through a struggle should be an attitude of trust through it all.
God allows us to go through tough times not to harm us, but to strengthen us and to draw us closer to Him. Think about it. If it weren't for the struggles, then we wouldn't cry out to Him and trust Him with a situation that only He can handle. As humans, we like to be in control of what happens in our lives. But in a situation that we can't control, we have no option but to trust God. And He is faithful to come through for us. He always has and always will.

Pray without ceasing. Without ceasing, it says. This means continually. Persistently. The more you pray, the more you start to expect your prayers to be answered. It's the power of our words. And every prayer said, is heard by Him. "He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not hear?" (Psalm 94:9).
And don't be afraid to talk to God or to ask from Him! He wants to bless your life, He wants to surprise you, He wants you to fulfill your dreams in Him!
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-11).

In everything give thanks. This goes back to rejoicing always. Choosing to trust God in the difficult times and knowing that whatever happens is for a reason that is for our own good. If you lost your job, start thanking God because you are now in a position to walk into a job that's even better! God is ready to bless you, so let your thanks and gratitude be present in the midst of your tribulation. "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57). 
He gives you the victory!! 

God never stops loving and giving! So accept His love and receive all the good things He already has prepared for you in 2013. I want to encourage you to enter this new year with a different mentality, a prospective that sees the good in the bad and trusts God for the best outcome.  
I challenge you to write down the goals that you have set in your heart to accomplish in this new year. Go back and read your vision declaring them out loud and thanking God for opening all the right doors at the right time for your dreams to become a reality.

This is going to be your best year yet!! Declare it, believe it, receive it!

Love,
Ivette

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6