For this reason I kneel before the Father…

Ephesians 3:14

I have had the privilege of serving as a writer for Life for Leaders for almost three years now. Some of my writings may have encouraged, while others may have challenged you to pursue God’s best for you. Make no mistake, these devotions are about equipping you to add depth to your fellowship with Christ. The Apostle Paul was known for his letters of love to the early church. These epistles served as inspiration, correction, and teaching that helped the believer develop beyond the basics and move deeper into the pursuit of God’s destiny for them. As we embark on a new year, I would like to share a prayer that has been on my heart for Christ’s Body.

As we approach this new year, my primary prayer for you is that you would be rooted and grounded in the love of God. I hope you experience the joy and security in the fact that God loves you and has already provided you with everything you need to succeed. If you are like me, sometimes you let fear of failure or loneliness cause you to become immobile or even choose the wrong path. However, the truth is that God’s perfect love for you is so vast, so wide, and so deep, that it expels all fear. My desire for you is that you would be constantly reminded of God’s love for you, in such a way that you would pursue God’s plan for you without hesitation. You deserve to have a life free from fear—which could start this year, but the choice is yours.

I pray that this would be the year where your faith meets fulfillment. Faith is only complete when it is coupled with obedience. What instructions have you received from God that you have yet to obey? Many people in Christ’s body hear God’s voice but struggle to exhibit the courage and faith to follow through on what they hear. My hope is that as you are rooted and grounded in God’s love for you (my first prayer), that the absence of fear will give way to obedient faith (my next prayer). Faith is meant to be fulfilled. That vision or dream that God gave you is meant to become a reality.

Finally, as you cross over into 2019, I pray that God would reignite your passion for his Kingdom. When God’s priorities become our priorities, we find that we have everything that we need. Matthew 6:33 encourages us to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness—with the promise that everything we need for life will be provided. We start the year with clear plans and pathways forward to do better in God. However, throughout the year those plans become clouded by the pursuit of other things and the yearning for our comfort zones. When the Kingdom becomes our primary pursuit, family, job, and provision fall into place.

This new year will provide new opportunities for you to go deeper with God and to experience the life that he desires for you. May your 2019 see you flourish and prosper, even as your soul prospers in Christ.

Happy New Year!

This post was originally published on December 31, 2018.

Explore more at the Theology of Work Project online commentary:
God’s Grand Plan: A Theological Vision (Ephesians 1:1–3:21)