Several years ago, Jennifer and I were flying to the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, a national conference for high-schoolers held every three years at Purdue University.
We had the pleasure of meeting a delightful high-schooler, named Kayla, next to us on the plane. She, too, was destined for Triennium. She lived about 100 miles away from us, but we sat right next to each other at Los Angeles International Airport. Since thousands of high-schoolers from around the country attend Triennium, we figured after we got off the plane, we probably would never see her again.
Six months later, Jennifer and I had been accepted to attend Fuller Theological Seminary – about one hundred miles away.
A few weeks after we moved into our new apartment, we decided to visit a local Presbyterian church near our new apartment.
Guess who was there to greet us?
It was Kayla from Triennium! Jennifer and I had wondered about our calling to ministry but this was a sign of reassurance to us from God. God had gone ahead of us and prepared the way. He knew we would be scared and apprehensive about starting a life of ministry. But God reminded us that we were doing what he had called and had made the right decision to move to Pasadena. God knew we would be here, and God had given us that conversation in the plane to be a way to reassure us once we got to seminary.
When we are not looking for God, it is easy to miss the wonderful ways that God is working in our lives.
When we do notice it, it is a huge blessing to feel that we are where God wants us to be!
In addition to any New Year’s resolution this year, I would encourage you to make a “God Year Resolution.” Every evening, before you go to bed, reflect back on the day’s events. Where was God at work in your life? Was God in a phone call with a friend or an exchange with a stranger? Did he close a door or open a window of opportunity for you? If you don’t see God at work, you are simply not looking. God is always doing something for us: guiding us, shepherding us.
As we come to church each week, as we go to work, as we care for our kids and neighbors, I encourage you to be on the lookout for how God is working in your life. We sometimes think our willpower is enough, but our resolutions nearly always fade. Yet, God’s resolution never fails. God is always here for you. God’s attention to you never waivers, and whenever you look to God, God will be there for you. From the bottom of the sea to the highest heaven, God is at work – and at work for YOU.
Happy New Year!