“Say to them that are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.’” (Isaiah 35:4 KJV)

I hope you had a Merry Christmas. Soon it will be the start of another year. The year 2023 has been so busy for me that it stretched my abilities and energy, strained my patience, and challenged the peace in my life. The busyness changed my life perspective; I was overly sensitive and complaining about everything. I was literally turning into a grouchy scrooge.
Recently, the verse Isaiah 35:4 reminded me not only about the prediction of the birth of Jesus, but also how my response to this truth was off track. I began to realize that I was robbing myself of experiencing the Lord during the Christmas season because of my busyness. I became distracted and placed more attention and focus on my busyness instead of on the Lord. This distraction was turning me into a grouchy scrooge. This behavior prevented me from experiencing the Holy Spirit. My life may have looked good on the outside, but it was not the case on the inside. I was full of anxiety, disappointment, and confusion at times. This form of idolatry had completely fooled me.
In Isaiah 35:4, it says to “fear not.” This was the first lesson I had to re-learn. My fears distracted me from Jesus and I began to place the attention on them instead. This caused me unnecessary confusion, insecurity, and frustration, both physically and spiritually. Secondly, the verse says to “be strong.” I had forgotten our Lord is omnipotent and fully capable of handling all my weaknesses and overcoming any life challenges. Lastly, the verse also says “our God will come and save us.” I realized my trust was not in the Lord but upon myself. It wasn’t the Lord who didn’t understand me or my responsibilities, but it was I who became distracted from Him. These three promises were a reminder to keep the Lord in the center of my life and wait upon Him for direction and hope. Once I focused on these truths, it brought me comfort and relief.
I am thankful the Lord brought this verse to my attention because it was an opportunity to reevaluate my faith and the relationship that I have with Him.
Please join me this New Year by reading, studying, and meditating on God’s word more deeply. Let’s put Jesus, God’s Word in the flesh, in the proper place of our life where He belongs.
May you have a Happy New Year full of God’s Peace, Joy, Love, and Hope.