“Show me a sign of your favor.” –Psalm 86:17

The end of a year beckons us to pause and reflect. Reflection has become a last art in our culture. We rush through life at the speed of light, leaving little room for reflection, silence, and, ultimately, a space for God to speak and us to hear and receive. How has God changed me and grown me this year? Am I more like Him today than I was a year ago? Have I enjoyed the gifts He has bestowed on me this year? Did I recognize them as gifts from the Father? Am I more keenly aware of His nearness and His presence, or have I allowed distance to creep between us?

Life has this way of wearing us down with the blows. Often I wonder if it can ever just be simple or easy, and where is the favor of God? Everything will change in the coming year. No one will be left at home. Another wedding. A baby. The baby heading off to college. Yet God’s favor remains. We watched The Golden Bachelor this fall. It was intriguing and kept us engaged. One thing that was said by a lady resonated with me. I am paraphrasing, but, in essence, what she said was that as you age, it is as if the expectation is that it’s time to step aside and let the younger generation have their turn because ours has passed. But we have lives too. Our lives matter the same regardless of what age we are. God’s purposes for our lives do not fade as we age. His favor is not merely for when we are young.

Our passion for Him is what often fades. Raising kids is exhausting. Having a career is exhausting. Adulting is exhausting. The rat race of life is exhausting. Ironically, running a race is less exhausting to me. By the time our kids grow up, we often have little energy left to finally live. We work so hard to achieve what’s next, yet it is all for what? Jesus told us to come to Him all who are weary and heavily burdened (Matthew 11:28-30).

Jesus never advocated for us to working ourselves until we are bone weary. In fact, God Himself instituted the gift of resting for mankind. He called it the Sabbath. The Sabbath is not some antiquated concept that is legalistic in nature. The Sabbath is God’s gift to us for rest. Inherent in the Sabbath is the concept of trusting that God will provide so that we are able to take a break from all of our labors. Sabbath refreshes and recharges us. Sabbath focuses our hearts to delight in the Lord, to slow down the pace of life, to un-hurry from the constant activity. We are not missing out by slowing down. We are caring for our souls.

In 2024, my goal is to institute rhythms of Sabbath and rest into my life. Not out of legalism and not just to have a do-nothing day on Sundays. But something deeper. Something of greater spiritual worth and value to my soul. Quieting the pace of life, leaning in to identify and recognize the movements of the Holy Spirit in my life and how God is working all around it.

2023 has been a tough year in many ways, life was never going to be an easy go of it. What God is teaching me, though, is that happiness, delight, and joy are not to be found in the ease of circumstances. No, these gifts are bestowed by a Good and Benevolent Father who offers us Himself and His Presence and His peace in the midst of any situation or circumstance. God is good in the times of celebration, and God is equally good in the most heartbreaking of times. God’s goodness is not about our circumstances. It is His character, and He cannot be separated from His goodness. God’s favor is all around us. Oh that we have eyes to see and hearts to behold.

When all is stripped away, what is it that matters in life? This is both a rhetorical and personal question that we can only answer for ourselves and is most honestly answered in personal times of prayer with Jesus. Yes, it is easier to feel God’s favor when all is well and good news abounds. Yet, God’s favor comes in more ways than just the happiness of the circumstances. I often feel closest to God when the night is at its darkest. His Light ALWAYS shines in the darkness. That is, in essence, the simple truth of baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. It was the dark night of the soul for the nation of Israel, yet His Light broke through the darkness. God’s light shines in our darkness even today.

God’s favor often looks differently than we expect. As the days of the year 2023 come to an end, let’s pause and reflect on His favor to us this year. Let’s expect Him to be present in the coming year and be aware of His presence and favor throughout our days. The hustle and bustle of Christmas will fade away. January will begin. Often with it comes a sadness or a disappointment that another holiday season has passed. Yet we are always living between the Advents, and God’s presence remains with us all year long. He is not Emmanuel, God With Us, only at Christmas. He is Emmanuel, God With Us, always.

In the midst of the busyness of the coming days and weeks, carve out time to escape to a quiet place to reflect and invite the voice of God into your world.

Merry Christmas!