By Pastor Naomi Mitchell
For Carter County Times
Have you already hit a snag in keeping a New Year’s resolution or two and it’s only a little past the middle of the month? Has it caused you to feel discouraged and defeated again? Were they things you felt God wanted you to do? Or was it some fad or something others do or expect?
Here is a list of simple things you can do alone to help you to know God better. These are found in scripture and will bless you in your walk with the Lord. Start with one or two at a time and practice consistency. Just show up daily and be blessed!
Wake up early and seek God first (Mark 1:35). Read the Bible, slowly (Psalm 1:2). Sit in silence with no phone (Psalm 46:10). Pray aloud in private (Romans 10:17). Confess sin honestly – no excuses (Psalm 32:5). Fast something that has control over you (Matthew 6:16-18). Read scripture that challenges your choices (Hebrews 4:12). Journal what God is exposing in you (Lamentations 3:40). Train your body as an act of discipline (1 Corinthians 9:27). Obey God in private (Luke 16:10). Spend time alone in nature (Roman 1:20). Ask God hard questions and wait for answers (Jeremiah 33:3). Cut off something God already told you. Read the Gospels repeatedly (John 1:14). Pray for purity of mind and heart (Psalm 51:10). Write out a prayer instead of scrolling (Habakkuk 2:2). Sit with conviction and don’t run from it (Hebrews 12:6). Speak scripture over your life (Romans 12:2). Thank God in advance (1Thessalonians 5:18). Surrender all your plans to God (Proverbs 16:3).
Words have great power. Practice gratitude every day with a grateful heart. Trust Jesus wholeheartedly in all circumstances. Outcomes are not your assignment. Obedience to God is. Test these out and watch your identity shift.
Declarations for you and your family: You are loved by God, chosen on purpose and created for good works. Your character matters more than your comfort. Do what is right even when no one is watching. You don’t belong to fear; you belong to God. You are responsible for your choices and God gives you wisdom to choose well. We tell the truth because we follow Jesus who is truth. Your worth is not earned it is given by God. Kindness and strength can live in the same heart. You are being shaped into who God called you to be, not who the world pressures you to be. Obedience to God always leads to life.
Amen! So be it!
JOYFUL House of Prayer, 2519 Quicksand Road, (P.O. Box 856), Jackson, Kentucky 41339. Send Comments/Prayer Requests: Pastornaomi4god@gmail.com. FB: JoyfulHoprayer. Services: 10am Sunday and Joyful Kids Class at 10:30am, 6:30pm Thursdays. Radio Broadcast: WJSN 97.3 FM & WEKG 81.0 AM Sundays 1-2pm.
