3 Ways to Be Ready for the Year
3 Ways to be Ready for the Year
“Be ready! We will leave in 5 minutes.” That call to the children is a call to action. Get your shoes on, go to the toilet, get your things together, and whatever else needs to be done before leaving.
“Be ready for a new year.” Some of you might be slowly adjusting to the idea of a new year. What is the year going to be list both for me and for the world around me? Some of you jumped into the new year the middle of December so eager to be done with last year. Regardless of which feeling you might have regarding the new year, there are 3 Ways to Be Ready for the Year.
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3 Ways to Be Ready for the Year
There are numerous ways to be ready for the year. I have decided to just focus on 3 very basic but important areas to be ready. You will notice that I don’t say anything about setting goals and developing detailed plans for how that is going to be accomplished. That is not where I want to focus. That will follow and happen but the focus needs to be on the character development.
Be Ready to Listen
As we prepare for the year, we need to be ready to listen and listen in a new way. We need to learn to put aside the noises and listen. Even now as I write this, I hear a mother and child chatting as they walk down the road, I hear my husband and daughter downstairs working on a project together, I hear the beeping of a notification coming in, and the clicking of my keyboard. I need to learn to listen even with all the noises around me.
The most important person that we need to learn to listen to is God. Our God is a God who speaks. His words have power as recorded in the creation story. God spoke and the world came into being. God also speaks to us, individually. He prompts us on what to do or say. He rebukes us for disobeying him. He comforts us when we need that.
Learn to listen. Sit and be still so you can hear. Ask God to speak to us. I love Samuel’s response to God in 1 Samuel 3:10, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Sit and ask God to speak.
We also need to learn to listen to those around us. I will confess that I often am listening but thinking about my response or beginning to offer my advice on how to handle what is being said. Learn to listen, really listen. You might need to learn how to ask questions to get people to speak.
Be Ready to Listen.
Be Ready to Surrender
Are you ready to surrender your plans, goals, and even routines to God?
Years ago I had a blank piece of paper except for my signature at the bottom of the page. That paper was placed in a frame and placed on my desk. That came about as I was thinking about how often I write out my plans with all the detail just like the permission slip for a field trip has all the details of when, where, and what will happen. I take my list of plans and goals and hand it to God just as I would hand the permission slip to my parents for signature. Instead of handing the detailed page to God for his stamp of approval and signature, God wants me to hand him a blank piece of paper and allow him to write the plans.
Are you taking your plans to God for his approval or giving him a blank piece of paper to write the plans and goals? Are you ready to surrender your plans and goals to God? Paul appeals to brothers in Romans 12:1, “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Be Ready to Act
Yes, you will be acting on the goals and plans that you have made for the year. You need to be ready to act on what God is calling you or even some days gently nudging you to do.
Each of us has responsibilities and roles that God has given to us. Our actions should reflect that.
Our listening and being ready to surrender are important to be ready to act. A friend recently shared how she was out running errands and as she was heading home, the Lord prompted her to go to another friend’s house. She arrived just minutes after the friend got the phone call that her son-in-law had entered heaven. Listening and surrendering her plans for the morning to act gave comfort and encouragement. That is how we are to be ready to act.
So what do you need to do to be ready to act? Besides listening and surrender I encourage you to be prepared. Have a bit of extra time in your week to be able to do things for others. Keep ingredients in your pantry that would allow you to fix a quick meal for someone. Be ready and prepared to act.
I know that there are numerous other areas that we can be ready but I think if we are ready in these three areas we will begin to live a life that God has called us to live.
Are you ready for the year? What area will be a challenge for you?
This is part of a series in developing character to grow. Be sure to read the introduction. I share a bit of my heart behind this series.