2016

                It’s been said many times that 2016 has been one of the worst years in history.  There have been over 100 “celebrity” deaths during the year.  The presidential election caused many hurt feelings on both sides of the aisle.  Terrorist attacks happened all over the world.  Cancer took the lives of many people across the country and world.  Racism exploded in many of the states resulting in the loss of lives for no reason.  Droughts caused ideal conditions for forest fires in the Smokey Mountains which resulted in the loss of more lives and destroyed property.  And the list goes on and on. 

                But 2016 will not even register on the list of bad years when we look at it in the scope of eternity.  Once we change our thought process, we will see that all the things that happened around the world didn’t change who we are.  We still get up, still have people in our lives, and still have the opportunity to live our life.  All the negative things that have gone on can’t change the fact that we are still alive.  They can’t take away the opportunities we still have every day. 

                The biggest opportunity that we have is to serve our Father in Heaven.  God’s love for us has no end and He is always there for us.  He is there through elections, the fires, the terrorist attacks, and even when cancer comes calling.  God never leaves us even though we go through hard times.  We feel like He has left us because we have to deal with the results of sin in the world.  But all we have to do is call on His name and He will bring back the peace we have lost. 

                So to say that 2016 was the worst year would be a gross mischaracterization of God’s power.  The only way that this would have been the worst year in your life, you would have had to die and not known Jesus.  Then I would agree that this was the worst year in history for you.  But since you are reading this, then you can still get to know Jesus.  It doesn’t matter if you have been a Christian all your life or you don’t know Jesus, you are still given the chance to have a relationship with Him.  You could make the upcoming year the best year in your life.  And no matter what happens in the world around you, you will have the confidence of knowing that your future is secure.  He is waiting with arms open wide for us to come to Him. 

                You do not have to allow the world around you to dictate what a good or bad year is.  When you know who created the world and everything in it, then you will always have the hope of great years.  That does not mean that everything in life will be roses or you will not have to deal with adversity.  It means that you will know where to lay all your burdens down.  The world still affects all of us, but we don’t have to allow it change our outlook about it.  God is in control and He will make us a way out of all situations when we turn them over to Him.

                Lord, I pray for this world.  I ask for Your hand of protection over this world.  Lord I pray for a peace to fall over this land.  Give people the strength and desire to make this a better place for everyone.  I pray for the people that don’t know you.  I pray that someone introduces them to you in the upcoming year.  Lord please open up their hearts and minds to You.  Lord I pray for the new year and all the possibilities that lay ahead for all of us.  You alone can change the desires of our hearts.  Lord I pray for all the things that the world said made this the worst year and You use those things to bring glory back to You.  In Your name, Amen.