Moment by Moment

It's New Years time! 

That means its time for reflecting on 2013 and possibly drawing up hopes for the coming year. Been there! Faith & I attempted to do so with you all here on the blog (lessons learned & all). So what is my goal for 2014? 

To trust God moment by moment.

Okay that may sound a little cliche as some may say :). But telling a planner, goal-oriented, do-er like me to walk besides God and not ahead of Him is quite the task. 

But planners of America or Senegal (if you're reading Faith =]) we have two choices:

Walk on our own and miss out on the growth that allows us to trust God greater in the future or the opposite.

You see I could try to micromanage my future; what kind of physician I'll be and where I'll work, who I'll marry, what I'll do to serve God three years from now, etc. But most of my current thoughts on these matters are in vain. Not because they are not important to me or to God, but because God has already written these things for my life. NOT to say God does not want us to plan and make goals (if they align with His Will and we are not stepping before Him).

So what exactly does God want us to do? I love how Galatians puts it, He wants us to keep in step with His Spirit. ("If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25). The Greek verb used in this verse translates to walk in a line behind a leader. I can picture a young child following their parent who is always slightly ahead of them; sometimes a couple steps further then the child would like; but when they look up they know that they are never alone. 

Not only will living life by the Spirit help me to know and trust God more today, but it will produce in me daily the fruits of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

If you want to weigh benefits and cost here: walking in love and patience will far more benefit said future husband than me pondering our possible meeting.... & faithfulness and kindness produced through God's Spirit will serve my future patients far greater than a well thought out 5 year career plan could.

My point is we often don't think about how our daily chose to love and trust God will have an impact on our future. Francis Chan said it best."The decisions we make next year will be profoundly affected by the degree to which we submit to the Spirit right now, in today's decisions."

So here's to daily learning to submit to God's Spirit in 2014 and until I'm perfected in Christ. 
                              Happy New Year, Love Steph