This year is different for some reason. I flounder and stumble my way through the first few weeks trying to hear from God about my focus.
Some years, it seems so easy. I know without a doubt my direction. I have my goals complete by the end of the first week. This year I haven’t heard from God about anything, although I pray and try to listen.
In recent memory, this seems to be the first year I have ever had this trouble.
Where do I go from here?
I think part of my problem is I feel like a failure. I never completed last year’s goals of losing weight and becoming healthier. In August or September, I began to hurt with extreme pain in my lower back radiating to my knees which would swell. I couldn’t exercise and depressed, I started to gain my weight back.
How to I regain momentum and complete my last year’s goals when I suffer this kind of pain?
I remember a sermon from a preacher once: 10 Things to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do. I don’t remember all the points. I do remember the first points:
First Seek Him!
First, you seek His presence through prayer and reading His word. Then you put your trust in Him again that He loves you and has forgiven you for all your failures, past, present and future.
Prayer and reading His word seem like the logical place to start, but why does it seem so hard some days to even crack open the pages of His book or lift my eyes up to Him in prayer? I feel so guilty and separated from Him. Can you relate?
I will continue to pray in my closet for God’s good grace to shower down into my life. I will lean on His promises.
I especially love this verse:
“Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you” (Psalm 25:4-5).
I will also pray these verses of truth over my life this year:
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@MaryHill16″]The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.[/tweetthis]
He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands” (Psalm 25:8-10, NLT)
What do you do when you flounder? What are your first steps to finding your way back to God’s will? Will you share and pray with me as we finish up January?
This post is written for Kate Motaung’s Five Minute Friday community where this week’s prompt is “first.”
Also linking up the great blog hop parties listed on my Linkup Parties page. I updated it this week so be sure to check it out!
My first step when I’m floundering is to pray for the desire to WANT to turn to him and be still. Often times I have a restless heart, but I want God to be my heart’s desire.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God. Great post. Visiting from FMF where I’m parked in the #6 spot.
Thanks Tara. :O)
Mary Hill recently posted…First Steps to Finding My Path for New Year
Mary,
My weary places felt so encouraged as I read your words. Thank you for your vulnerability and encouragement to always be moving towards Christ. I am visiting you from the FMF link up.
Chara
What a great response to an fmf prompt! I did something different last week. I changed the locale of my quiet time and Bible study. That simple thing gave me a fresh sense of “start.” Today, my daughter’s project was in my new area, and I was a bit upset! But it was ok … i shifted things around a bit and had my time with the Lord. Change is good!
Dianne Thornton recently posted…Is Your Life Salty, Or Do You Make People Salty?
Great tip. Thanks for sharing. I am still praying and seeking. 🙂
Mary Hill recently posted…First Steps to Finding My Path for New Year
Oh my goodness! I’m right there with you. I keep thinking about my direction and feel rudderless in the storm! I’m trying to pray and concentrate and think – to seek Him. Psalm 25 is right on. Thanks for these thoughts!
My word is discipline – I feel ya, sister!
Susan Shipe recently posted…quietude: january 10 2016
Susan, thank you for commenting. Good luck on your word for the year.
Mary Hill recently posted…First Steps to Finding My Path for New Year
I like to take the first day everyone has gone back to work/school and evaluate and think and pray through goals for the next year, but so far that hasn’t happened yet! I am hoping this week for some quiet, thoughtful time.
I used to think of goals with a pass/fail attitude, until a friend shared that even if she didn’t meet her goals, she got farther with them than without them. That helped me a lot.
Sometimes the goal is to pick up where I left off; sometimes it’s to confess failure and move one; sometimes it’s to keep on keeping on; sometimes it’s to change or increase in some way.
Love that your first point in setting any goal or making any change is to seek Him.
Barbara H. recently posted…I’m an older woman…so now what?
Thank you for your insights from your friend. I really feel comforted by your words.
Mary Hill recently posted…First Steps to Finding My Path for New Year
I kind of know how you feel. Last year my word was intentional and I was going to lose weight and get rid of clutter in my house. I have not really accomplished either of those very well. Lots of things interfered with what I intended to do. So this year my word is open. I want to be open to all that God has for me. And when the way is not clear I hope I will continue to wait on Him as I read my Bible and pray. Blessings to you, dear Mary.
Gayl, I am glad I am not alone. I think I will keep going and refocus my energies. Thanks for the encouragement.
Mary Hill recently posted…First Steps to Finding My Path for New Year
Wow! Your honesty and your vulnerability shine through your words. I needed to hear this because I have goals that seem to be on my list every year and as I reassess I wonder why I can’t seem to achieve them. Seeking God above everything else is my number one and really all that we need if we do it in humility knowing that we are nothing without God.
Thank you for these beautiful words!
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