Well Happy new year! congratulations you have survived another trip around the sun!
That is something to be celebrated! Too often we become consumed with worry. We worry about our finances, we worry about our children or our health, and you may even have worries today.
Well can I just remind you that you survived 2017! 2017 was a crazy year. Few could have predicted Donald Trump becoming leader of the free world, few would have predicted that Australia would have Same Sex Marriage passed into law by the end of 2017 and few would have predicted a Richmond premiership in the AFL!
For me personally I started 2017 full of uncertainty, I had a Ministry in Grafton that was coming to an end, I was unemployed, unsure of my future, you may be unsure of your future currently reading this. You would have felt uncertainty, fear and worry last year that you are still feeling today in 2018.
Well can I tell you that if you are reading this and you are alive in 2018 then you have conquered them all! and why wouldn’t you?
You are more then a conqueror
The scripture says in Romans Chapter 8 verse 37 that “We are more then conquerors through Him who loved us”
The key word is “through Him” this Him with a capital H, has you in the palm of his hand (Isaiah chapter 49 verse 16), he has sown seeds of greatness on the inside of you. You are capable of so much more then you realise.
I was talking to a Ministry friend of mine. He runs a Ministry for travelers just past Mullumbimby here in the Byron Shire.
He is not a wealthy man for many years he believed he was not “handy”, his Dad was never a “handy man” and he grew up believing he was not “handy” either.
One day he had a leak in one of his pipes that was spewing out water so he phoned the plumber.
In this story I don’t believe he was speaking to a plumber I believe he was speaking to an Angel. He was not sure how to fix it but the plumber said “You can do it, I am going to be over the phone talking you right through it”
Through the plumbers help he got it fixed and he realised he was more capable then he realised and now he can fix and build all kind of things.
I do believe God gives us talents in certain areas some are more noticeable then others.
One of my guilty pleasures is Sport and in 2017 I too rode the highs and lows of following your favourite sporting team.
One of them (I have many) is the Adelaide Crows.
Recently they drafted onto their rookie list Jackson Edwards who is the son of club legend Tyson Edwards.
I am only 27 years old and I even feel old because now I am watching the children of the players I grew up watching!
It turns out Jackson is not only a gifted footballer like his father before him but he also got a university entrance score of 94. So in other words he is not only athletic he is also brainey!
Sometimes life is not fair!
God might not have made you particularly athletic or particular talented at academia but God does not care about accolades all he cares about is whether you were faithful with what he gave you.
He has given you seeds of greatness he has made it possible for you to conqueror your fears he has brought you here in one piece.
Why don’t we let go of the doubt, the fear of the unknown and trust the God that got you through this messy world and trust that he will make your 2018 your best year yet.
Ben Kruzins has earned a number of degrees and now in ministry at Ocean Shores NSW
Ben Kruzins is the Campus Pastor of The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores on the North Coast of New South Wales. He is also a Journalism graduate who has written articles in The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.