The Hard Year

2024 was a “hard year”.  As I did a reflection on this year, the highs, the many lows, the frustrations and the victories.  All I can say is “If not for the grace of God”.  As I spoke to a number of folks on how 2024 was for them, the sentiments were all the same.  It was a hard year!  Hard for some people emotionally, some financially, some physically, some spiritually and for a subset, all of the above. I too had my share of frustrations too numerous to mention this year. But through it all one thing’s for sure.  God was in the midst!

A lot of times we miss God in the hard moments because we focus so much on the trials and tribulations that we often forget that God promises to be with us through it all.  In the valley moments and on the mountain tops, God is always there, we sometimes just miss Him.  Only recently that lesson was made clear. As I was opening something, I felt a nudge in my spirit saying don’t tear the box, you can’t use the item, so bless someone with it.  Of course, I ignored the nudging, tore the box and then realized, I can’t use the item. 

On reflection, I was like God, I complained this year so much that I wasn’t hearing you speaking, when all the while You were, I just missed or ignored most of the nudging.  It was there then that God gave a further revelation, yes, this year was hard, but I never left you.

Testimony

Even as I began to further reflect on my journey this year a number of situations came to mind that proved that God was there all along, even when He seemed silent.  In my last blog post, in faith I alluded that God would make a way.  See, God had given me a promise many years ago on receiving my home.  His words were “Wait! I will give you a testimony!”  And I spent six years holding onto to that promise before He gave the green light to start. 

Throughout the entire process, as with most of God’s promises, the warfare was thick. I expected it so even though it was frustrating, I was prepared, and God came through each and every time.  On the verge of the fulfillment of the promise though, the enemy raised his ugly head.  This time, my guard was down as I was at the end and thought nothing more could have gone wrong. I had already experienced my share of setbacks.

The thing is though, God in His faithfulness, gave me a dream just before, this particular issue came up. In that dream He showed a vision of me in the center of “confusion” and His words to me were “Stand Still”. When I woke from the dream, I did not quite heed the nudging as I thought I was at the end of this long process and maybe God was just reminding me where I came from, so I brushed it off.

As I was set to move into my home, I had such a major setback, which hit me for six, both emotionally and financially and the resolution seemed impossible.  I cried, I prayed, I felt defeated, however, even in that moment, despite me not taking heed, God was still faithful!  He showed up for me in a way that left me speechless. God made a way through my red sea, I moved into my home, His promise to me was fulfilled and guess what, I have a big testimony!!

Re-Couragement for the “Hard Year”

So, my re-couragement to you today is take a look back on your year. It may have been a “hard year.  You may still be in the messy middle.  But instead of focusing on how “hard” the year” was, try to look for the faithful ways God showed up for you this year and give Him praise.  Additionally, let my experience be a lesson to confirm with God on what He is saying and not lean on your own limited understanding. I assure you that God has been there in the middle of your hard year all along. He has been there orchestrating your life, holding you together and keeping you sane even though He may have seemed silent. 

The fact that you are still here holding on is testament to the goodness of God and for that you ought to praise Him for your “Hard Year”. Trust me out of this will be a testimony if you allow God to use you.

I want to take this time to wish my readers a Blessed Christmas and a Wonderful and Prosperous 2025.  Yes, declare that Your 2025 will be prosperous because of God’s character and not our circumstance! Click Here