In the past when we made resolutions for the New Year, we noticed that it didn’t take long for interruptions, distractions and schedule plan changes to dash our aspirations once they had been delayed or set aside for pressing circumstances. Can anyone relate to that?! We remembered that Joseph and Mary’s plans were disrupted, to say the least when God’s time to come to earth was actualized. Census takings and wars have also disrupted many plans and schedules down through the ages, although at this time a census does not disrupt the way it did in previous times. Other things, like layoffs, new jobs and family emergencies seem to have taken that place in these times.

So we decided on a “mission statement” many years ago that would help determine what our priorities should be, and work through our circumstances to implement things that were important to attaining some measure of that mission statement. That worked for years, until the mission statement became controversial among some family members. We didn’t converse about the disagreements specifically like we had during its inception and adoption. One day it just became apparent that the mission statement of the family was only embraced by certain members.
What caused the drift? In short, the unexpected, the unplanned, the thoughts and ideas that germinated in receptive minds without salient conversation. If we observe that in our family, which is a microcosm of our society, is it any wonder that we observe it growing within our society towards the underpinnings of this nation and at times, the church?

But the same mechanism which causes such turmoil also provided the way in which the decay of our souls and society could be arrested and transformed back into something that was at one time beautiful and desirable. So if there is any resolution that seems to prevail in my mind this year, it is that we should not be adverse to those divine interruptions, distractions and plan changes that bring about seminal changes in our life trajectory here on earth that allow more of God’s kingdom to prevail around us.

We still have made plans, and we still have goals to accomplish this year and ways to measure our progress in attaining them. How we will balance those goals and aspirations with the interruptions, distractions and plan changes that will inevitably come is our prayer this year. Prayer for grace and wisdom to know the difference between a divine intervention or a challenge to overcome. Prayer for each of our friends and family to also grow in their understanding of God’s purposes and enabling in their lives and families as they navigate the year.

2020 vision is a wonderful ability to naturally have, but in truth Christians know that “we see through a glass darkly”. Because of this, we are more open to recognizing our own blindness to God’s goodness and purposes and working through those ramifications when interruptions, distractions and plan changes seep into our lives this year. How about you?