As I look to a new year, two words come to my mind, uncertainty and excitement. Obviously, these two words do not necessarily go together. After all, there is not much exciting about uncertainty. While I am excited about the opportunities of the new year, my heart is a little uneasy about the challenges of the unexpected that assuredly wait around the corner.

I look back over 2017 with thankfulness for all of God’s blessings. Some years we encounter more hardships than others. 2016 was a very hard year as I lost my dad. While 2017 was an easier year overall for me, I am sorry to say that for many of those around me, it was more difficult. It is such a blessing in this life that we can pray each other through the ups and downs.

One thing that is certain is that there will be the unexpected in this new year. Sometimes the unexpected is wonderful, but sometimes it is devastating.

I have learned that God is not concerned with making things easy for me. He is not as concerned as much with making me happy as He is with making me holy. His ways are higher than our ways, and He uses trials at times to bring us closer to Him, to teach us things. He does this not because He does not love us, but because He does love us. In fact, He loves us too much to leave us where we are. He wants to bring us closer to Him, to make us more like Jesus, to comfort us so that we are better equipped to comfort others.

In all this uncertainty, there is one thing that is certain—our Big, Big God. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

As we march in 2018, we may encounter blessings beyond our wildest dreams. We may encounter struggles physically, emotionally, financially. It is important for us to remember that God is steadfast and sure through it all, the good and the bad. He is to be exalted through it all. His grace is sufficient. He is an ever present help in our time of need. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

No matter what we face, we can make it through as long as we face it with the Lord. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Because of His faithfulness, we can step confidently into the new year. It is waiting. Here we go…

Dear Lord: Thank You for the new year and that You make all things new. Thank You for all that You have allowed into our lives this past year, the good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need You and rely on Your presence filling us every single day.

We pray for Your Spirit to lead us each step of 2018. We ask that You will guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire You above all else. We ask that You will open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask for Your wisdom, for Your strength and power to be constantly present within us. We pray You would make us strong and courageous for the road ahead. Give us ability beyond what we feel able, let Your gifts flow freely through us, so that You would be honored by our lives, and others would be drawn to You.

Through it all, help us to trust You for you are faithful, and You love us more than we could ever imagine. Amen

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. —Corrie Ten Boom

How was your 2017? Has He brought you through the impossible? Has He blessed you beyond the imaginable? Please share your thoughts, experiences, and comments with us.

Happy New Year! May God bless you and your family in 2018 as you rest in the unshakable certainty of His love and grace.