I want to move into 2023 with clarity. I want to know I’m making the right decisions about where to spend time and invest energy. As I plan my To-Do list today, I realize how many choices I could make in just one day. What do I say yes to? What do I decline? Have I said yes to something without consulting the Lord?
Psalm 25 struck my heart today. It reads like this in verses 12-15:
Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
The Lord confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
I take seriously the idea that God instructs us in our decision making. But how? I’m learning it requires time to sit in God’s presence to talk to Him and listen—just like you would a friend. You might ask God, “Should I say yes to this?” When I do this, I wait for the voice of the Shepherd which always resonates with the fruit of the Spirit. Do I feel increasing joy and peace about this? Am I being pushed or can I take time and make a patient choice? Does this decision help me grow in kindness, gentleness, and self-control? Does it help me bless others and grow closer to God? Is it something I’m doing in my own strength or by faith?
Next, I think about places where I feel feel ensnared either by overcommitting or simply saying yes to a direction that doesn’t seem right anymore. I love how God can “release my feet from the snare.”
Growing in the ability to listen and let the Holy Spirit guide us often takes years and years. I continue to learn to seek God and listen before I rush off into a new direction. I pray for clarity for us in 2023, and I know God will give it.