Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. Matthew 1:19-24 (NLT)
In various verses in the Bible (Matthew 1:20, Luke 1:30, Luke 2:10, etc.), we see scriptures telling us not to be afraid. Some of us are meticulous planners. Some have already made plans for 2017. We have detailed plans about how the year will flow and we like the control and certainty of having a roadmap in our lives.
While planning is great and a key ingredient to success, it is very important that we trust God in our daily lives, especially in the face of uncertainty. This is why the Bible tells us not to be afraid. Trusting God means you are relinquishing control of your life and doing what He tells you even when you don’t understand. Is there an area of your life that you need to give to God? Is there an area that you hold on to closely, but things never seem to work out as planned? In 2017, give that area to God! Reflect on the meaning of this post and say the simple prayer below.
Prayer:
God, I thank you for all that you have done for me in 2016 and what you will do in the future. Help me to trust you more in 2017. Help me to trust you with [insert your need]. I give it to you now. I will not be afraid. I trust you and know that you have the best plans for my life. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.