Hi, friend! Happy New Year!
Can you believe it’s 2021? It’s crazy to look back at 2020 and wonder how it could go so fast and yet so slow at the same time. It’s also crazy to think about all that happened this previous year as well.
I’ve heard several people talking about their opinions of 2020 as a whole, and many are angry, upset, and ready to move on. However, today I’d like to point out that 2020 wasn’t all bad.
That’s right. The year 2020, though it was challenging, wasn’t all bad.
Curious? Great, let’s get into it.
Our Lives Put On Hold
The virus hit and suddenly our lives were thrown upside down. We were told to wear masks, do this thing called “social distancing”, hand sanitize constantly, and stay home.
It was stressful and hard during those first weeks of lockdown, but then it just kept going and going. Even now, depending on where you are, there are still rules in place concerning your health and how many people can be inside a building at the same time.
When the lockdown happened, our lives were, in a way, put on hold. Schools closed, churches went online, activities were cancelled, etc. It was as if someone had turned off the lights of our lives, and we were scrambling around in the dark, disoriented and stressed.
But what if those lights turning off did more than leave us lost?
A Reset That Led To Realization
Let’s be honest, 2020 was hard.
I don’t want you to ignore that or ignore the pain and grief you may be going through because of what happened this year.
But should we look back on 2020 and think that nothing good came out of it?
I don’t think so, because through our hardest struggles of 2020, God was still working. He used this year to help people realize that they aren’t in control of what happens. They can have a high social status, be skilled in a sport, and doing well in school, but all of that can be taken away.
And God? He’s still there. He’s the one who matters.
The lights seemed to go off for a little while, yes, but God was working. He helped us realize what we needed to be rooted in. We needed (and still need) to be rooted in the Gospel, because in the end, that’s what really matters.
So now, as we move forward into 2021, I think it’s better for us to think about the good that came out of 2020 and what we should be thankful for, rather than the bad and what we lost.
I’m thankful for our current level of technology that allows us to stay connected despite distances, my friends and family who were by my side through this year, that we do have this hope in Jesus, and that we can trust Him in everything.
What about you? What are you thankful for?
What Does 2021 Look Like?
I doubt that with the New Year everything is changing for the better, because we’re not out of the storm yet.
However, we can use the New Year as a chance to be thankful and grateful for what God has given us and remind ourselves to be rooted in Him and not in the things of this world.
In 1 Peter 1, Peter tells us about our living hope.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:3-7
Our hope and inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Worldly things, however, are perishable, can be defiled, and fade. Isn’t it better to set our hope in Jesus?
You can see a more thorough study of these verses in this post:
Imperishable Inheritance: 1 Peter 1:1-12
What I’m Doing For 2021
I’ll be starting a new Bible reading plan with my mom called the Legacy Bible Reading Plan. It assigns you books each month (along with Psalms and Proverbs) so that you can take it at your own pace.
Other than that, and maybe coming up with some with some ideas for this blog and my writing, I don’t have many plans for the New Year. What about you? Do you have a Bible reading plan for this year? Any New Year’s Resolutions? Let me know in the comments below or through the Contact page!
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, 2020 was hard, but it wasn’t all bad. A much-needed reset and refocus came out of 2020, and helped us remember that God is in control, not us, and we need to be rooted in and focused on Him.
Thank you for reading today’s article! If you have any feedback or ideas for this blog for 2021, let me know! I hope you have a happy New Year!
Have a blessed day,
~Caroline
Live to the Lord 