Stay Centered in 2025

2024 is almost over. Are you looking forward to a new year? Have you said “in 2025, I’m going to spend more time reading the Bible, praying, and serving?” I’m going to be more committed (to be dedicated to what He has called me to do) and stay centered on Him. We mean well with all of our heart but sometimes they are just words.

How often do we unknowingly put limits on our commitment to God to do better, to do more in the coming year? Do we put stipulations and limits on Him without realizing it?

I’m talking about limits that can change our willingness and attitude to truly commit to Him. How often do we say I love you, Jesus and I want to serve you as long as it’s convenient, or until I start to feel uncomfortable, or as long as your message is what I want to hear, or as long as your plan goes along with mine, or until your direction changes the direction I’m currently going, or unless I’m not qualified. I know I have used every one of those excuses. “Again and again they tried His patience.” Psalms 78:41 (ERV) A stipulation is a limit because it sets a specific condition or requirement that we believe must be met, effectively placing a limit on what is allowed or expected of God. Most of the time, it is not intentional but it does happen. These stipulations make our conditions we give God into a limit. Each of those limits blocks an area where God wants to work. “But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Don’t limit my power! You will see that I can do what I say I can do.’” Num. 11:23 (ERV)

There’s no version of serving God that allows me to continue putting up limits or making excuses just because I want an easier cross to carry. Living out my commitment to Him with all those excuses is like living on the fringe of His plan for me. I’m not truly in the center. If I’m on the edge, it might be hard to see the revelation or hear from God while I’m sitting way over on the edge. It’s also easier to run from God if you’re on the edge of commitment. If you want God‘s full revelation and to hear what He is calling you to do in 2025, crawl into the middle, the core, of who He is! Once you’re in the middle, pull your knees up and let Him cover you with His presence.

My commitment to serve God with full abandonment requires  commitment to dive into the center of God’s plan for me-not to stay living on the edge. When you’re on the edge, you are exposed to external, worldly influences, including the “enemy.” If I am on the edge of God’s calling for me, I am also on the edge of being non-committal.

However, if I stay in the center of God’s calling, I must travel a long distance to remove myself from Him. I will have to run longer and farther to get away from Him.

There will be things happen in 2025 that will be impossible without Him. They will be impossible to do if you’re sitting on the edge. They will disrupt your commitment. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26 (NIV) Crawl into His center and pray. Let go of things from 2024 that you are “white knuckling” and lay them at the center of Him. “Cast all your anxiety on Him.” “There’s a time to keep and a time to throw away.” “Put off your old self.” Let go, cast away, put off the limits you’ve placed on Him. If you see those limits He asks you to let go of as putting you at a disadvantage, you will not see God doing as much through you as He wants to in 2025. He wants to do so much for you and through you if you would stop limiting Him! “He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jer. 29:11

Prayer at the end of 2024 and letting go of the past and limits is where our power will come from to be able to follow through with our commitment in 2025 and be used by Him so much. But remember, God CAN still do greater, unexpected things the last couple days of 2024,  if that is what He chooses. Let Him work when and wherever He chooses too!

Wishing you a God filled New Year!