What I Learned in 2021

Happy New Year! I hope and pray the year has kicked off well for you and your families.  My New Year has been quiet so far, but I never know what’s coming.  With that, I’ve been thinking about 2021 and thinking about what I learned throughout what has been a very challenging year.  So here are a few things I picked up along the way:

1. Don’t count your chicks before they hatch, you may not get any (Thanks Carol).  Life is never what we expect.  I was expecting us to get back to some semblance of normalcy when the COVID vaccine was released.  That, in my mind, was a turning point.  But obviously, that was not the case.  In the last few weeks, we’ve seen levels of new cases similar to last year.  Life does not produce based on our expectations.  Sometimes things are great (better than we imagine) and sometimes they will bring us to our knees.  This is a time to turn to the Apostle Paul and learn to be content no matter the state we’re in (Phil 4:11-12). Stand in the now and do whatever you need to in the moment.  Yes, they is work to be done for tomorrow, but you only have today.  Take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself (Matt 6:34). 
2. We need each other.  I am one who is always good to spend time with myself – I happen to like me.  But, if nothing else the last two years have taught me that I need other people.  Not to take care of me or provide for me – God does that (or He’s empowered me to do it).  But, I mean I need companionship and accountability and to help.  God has placed a need inside of me that I can’t fill on my own (Heb 10:25).  He said when He created Adam that it wasn’t good for man to be alone and He made a help meet (Gen 2:18).  The same thing is true today.  With all the social media in the world and virtual platforms available, it is not the same as human companionship (and I’m not talking about a mate).  It’s good to have friends – people you can depend on when everyone else leaves.  Those people you can pour your heart out to and they will tell you the truth or just sit with you.  We also need those who will hold us accountable.  Sometimes I need to be in the actual presence of others.  
3. I can be wrong and so can you.  So many times, we judge or evaluate others based on our lives and our experiences and our truths.  But there is only one truth – God’s truth.  The creator determines what truth is and since God can not lie – His Word is Truth (John 17:17).  Everything else should be evaluated based on it and not what we think or feel.  When someone says something, check it against the Word of God.  
4. We can have hope and joy in the midst of trying times because God loves us so.  Even though this year has been a challenging one, I’ve had way more joyful days than not.  My journey has led me to understand that I am nothing in and of myself.  Joy, like peace, is found in Jesus.  I can choose to look at everything around me and complain or I can choose to see the good.  It’s up to me.  No matter what happens, I have Jesus in my life and the Holy Spirit empowers me to do the work – way more than I could ever do on my own.  Even when things are bad, they are still good, because God is Good.  He’s in my corner and if He be for me, who can be against me? (Rom 8:31-39)
5. We have a job to do.  Regardless of how much education you have or how much money you make, God has given each of us an assignment.  Go into all the world and tell the Good News (Mark 16:15).  While not all of us can quote scripture or preach a sermon, we are not disqualified from telling the Good News of what Jesus has done for us.  We have an opportunity to share with others every day at work or even in the grocery store.  We don’t have to push Him on others to share Him.  We are to love others as we love ourselves.  We show Christ to others by the way we love (John 13:35).  

These are just a few lessons, I’ve learned.  There are many more.  I challenge you to look back over 2021 and consider what you learned that will help you grow.  May you be so blessed in 2022 that you do not have room enough to receive.