I forgive you 2017, so here's to 2018
“The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can’t supply is proof that Heaven must be our home.” -C.S. Lewis
well I can definitely say that 2017 has been the most challenging year for myself. many of you may feel that way also. there could have been loss of a loved one or friend. a horrible break up. bad grades. changes in your family. laid off from your job. a divorce. whatever the case is, it made 2017 horrible. but it also could have been good. an illness in a loved one was healed. you got engaged. you got married. you got a job promotion. just celebrated another year of marriage. 4.0 this semester. whatever the case is, good or bad, Jesus did it for a reason. those struggles and those successes defined your year.
as we step into a new year, we hear the same phrase, "new year new me." some people want to change but change is hard and it can be scary. it's easy to settle for the same thing over and over because we are habit forming people. we like "the comfortable" and having familiarity is reassuring, but good things aren't found in certainty. it's found when we believe in the power of our God instead of dwelling in our realities. when we choose passion over security, Jesus shows His grace when He allows ourselves to grow - and growth cannot take place without change. so embrace change. let the transformation unfold. do not be afraid to meet new people, to see new places, to pursure new passions, to face new challenges. let go of the familiar - we cannot become who we are meant to be by staying where we are. sometimes we need to go places we have never been to find out where we really belong. and that is ok. working on your struggles, your challenges, and what you want to change is not selfish.
a little insight of my year:
2017 started. I had just changed my major for the spring of my freshman year. I started dating a new boy. I was ready for the new year. but my classes were hard. I became oblivious to what was happening in my relationship. I became unhappy. unsatisfied. filled with anger. with hate. with no love in my heart. I was different. I did not like who I had become. I didn't do too well in my classes and the boy I was crazy about ripped the rug from right under my feet. I felt lost. I felt confused. I didn't know what Jesus was doing in my life. Hurt changes you. It turns you into a whole new person. How do you forgive someone that broke your heart? I learned that you forgive them by giving yourself time to heal. you forgive by focusing on yourself. you forgive them by removing yourself from the replays. you forgive them by accepting what they did. but most importantly, you forgive them by regaining your life. because you are so much more than that one person who broke your heart. I learned how to love again. Jesus poured that love back into my heart. Psalm 119:114 says, "You're my place of quiet retreat and I wait for Your Word to renew me." I am happy again. I feel like me. I changed my mindset. I learned more about myself in a year that I ever have in my entire life.
Now I had a friend of mine tell me this short reflection story/question that is an analogy perfectly describing Jesus’ love for us that I want to share. Here it is:
Jesus died on the cross for our sins. As said in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Now everyone knows about Hitler. Hitler killed over 6 million Jews and many others. Since Jesus died for your sins and mine, He died for Hitlers too. You think to yourself, who would wanna die for Hitler? After everything he did to those millions of people, who would wanna die for a man like that?
Now here comes the reflection I was talking about...
Imagine, just for a second....If Hitler was about to kill your mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, child, anyone you love unconditionally, would you still take a bullet for Hitler?
(my brain after I was asked that)
I would say think about that for a second, but what is there to think? I wouldn’t wanna die for Hitler. Again, why would anyone want to die for Hitler?
BUT JESUS DID! Our King died for us because that is how much He loves every single one of us. He died for you. He died for Hitler. He died to know us. He saw how worthy we were and shed His blood on that rugged cross. He died so that we can live eternal life in Heaven with Him forever! That is how much Jesus loves us!!! What an indescribable feeling to know that I am loved THAT much.
I leave you with this for 2018:
With that being said, to add onto the insight of my year, no person will ever be good enough for you until Jesus is enough. When you finally realize how much love Jesus has for you, then you can share that love with others. He professes His love from greater heights. Romans 5:8 says, "God shows His love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus simply did not say "I love you," but displayed this love for you in the most powerful way you can imagine.
But how can you know that Jesus ACTUALLY loves you THAT much? how can you believe that His love will not abandon you like others have?
2017 broke my heart but it taught me so much about myself. as I put the pieces back together, Jesus stood by my side and healed me. do not let experience steal your joy. do not let sinners keep you from Jesus' love. Jesus is not your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, He is not your absent or abusive mother and/or father, and He is not the friend who came kissed as an enemy. Jesus is none of those people. Jesus is not us. we dishonor Him sometimes by looking at the cross and seeing an unfaithful human love. in 2017, people may have abandoned you. someone could have broke your heart. but Jesus does not. others may have broken promises, but Jesus does not. for those who are lost, Luke 19:10 says, "The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them." Run home to your Father.
*Love unconditionally. Love without ends. Love without barriers. Love until there is no more love to give and then love more. There is no pit so deep that God’s Love is not deeper still. 2017 is almost over, 2018 is about to start! It's time for a fresh start. a change. a new life. a new you!*
"Your love, Lord, reaches to the Heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies." Psalm 36:5
