Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)

The year is done, moved into the history books, and one best remembered or forgotten depending on your personal perspective.

Many people I have spoken with since Christmas have looked at the past year as not just being an endurance test, but a chance for them to see God in action. I think most Christians around the world would also agree, recognizing that there were many challenges facing them, but with each obstacle surmounted thanks to God’s guidance and grace.

I do not mean to suggest that every loose end has been tied or problem resolved. As long as blood pulsates through our veins, breath taken, and moment savored, circumstances will continue to press against us and mold us, especially if we allow God to have His way in our lives.

May I confess something to you? I have a difficult time waiting upon the Lord. Not that I doubt for a moment that He will not help me soar like an eagle and keep running without growing faint, rather having the patience to endure my own circumstances.

I know the verses, I believe that God is faithful, and I have seen Him at work in the lives of so many people. And yet I find my patience is not enough to see me through.

For the record I am not about to give up. How could I? And what does this dying world hold that I want? Nothing of substance. I am merely sharing my own fleshly struggle, one that has taken on a different form as I age. I think if I did not have something to battle in this life then my body would be rigid and cold.

But I am looking forward to 2010 with eager anticipation for one special reason: it is a new beginning. We do not know what the year holds, but there is something about a new start that should put a bounce in our steps, create a tug on our hearts, yearning for those things which are pure, holy, noble, and of a good report.

Even as we press on, there is something else I am sensing: the coming of the Lord draws near. I am not a date setter and I certainly do not need tea leaves to tell me what the Bible makes clear: we are living in the last days.

For 2010, I will continue to seek the Lord through prayer and Bible reading, two pillars of the Christians faith. I will also continue to fellowship with the saints, worship corporately, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ as God leads. In other words, now is not the time to allow personal struggles to hold me back, instead to continue to press forward knowing that our redemption is near.

May God bless you and yours with the knowledge of whom He is, the wisdom to know what steps to take, and the love to make a difference in a world filled with people who desperately need Him.

Photo Credit: Vivek Chugh

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