On one of our end of the year walks, Josh and I were discussing the New Year and any words or goals we wanted to focus on. I wasn’t sure I had any major re-hauls for my life to tackle and a word for the year wasn’t coming to me, so I threw out the word “endure.” I felt a bit like—I think I just need to keep on keeping on. But Josh challenged me to welcome a mind shift and choose a word like “pursue”—a going after something vs. staying under something. We have been in an enduring season for like 6 years😵💫
I’ve given it some thought and think he is right. Yet I shrink back from thinking I can do something big or significant. I’ve actually been on quite the journey (ie. 23 years as wife and 19 years as mom) of learning to value a hidden life and to have God’s perspective on the mundane, boring but necessary, seemingly small things a mom has to do. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, picking up drycleaning, feeding the dog, cleaning toilets, making doctor appointments, training kids, etc….over and over and over again for over twenty years. So the shift to actually pursuing something big is leaving me wondering what exactly that looks like.
So when I read John 15 on New Year’s Day, I was greatly helped. Jesus is speaking:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.”
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love.”
“This I command you, that you love one another.”
The answer to ‘what do I pursue’ became crystal clear to me. Instead of wondering if I should pursue going back to school, pursue getting a job, pursue looking for something big to pursue or any other thing like that, I am to pursue Him.
Pursue God. Pursue People. That was my answer.
How exactly do I do that? Well, His Word reminded me that staying near to God, connected to Him happens through reading His Word, confessing my sins, praying, worshiping Him, staying sensitive to the Spirit of God in my life. This is what brings much fruit and glorifies God. I was reminded that loving people brings God glory, too. So what better way to invest my energy than abiding in Christ and living by the Spirit, which should produce a love for people.
Maybe you’ve felt some pressure to come up with a grandiose New Year’s resolution or some goal. I’d like to give you permission to simply stay connected to Jesus. He will take care of the fruit. He will let you know if there’s something big to do….and He may just help you see that a lot of the small things are indeed the big things.
Happy New Year!
