When The New Year Hasn’t Been All That Life-Changing Yet

With today being the start of March, we’ve already got 2 months of 2017 under our belt! It’s that time of year where most of us have started to really settle into what we think 2017 could look like for us…or, we are evaluating just how well those New Years Resolutions have been going. 🙂

The thing about a new year is this: we often expect it to bring about radical change, or fresh joy, or those new desired-for circumstances, finally…

When 2017 Hasn’t Been All That Life-Changing Yet

But it doesn’t always work that way. While I love the fresh start that January 1 brings, sometimes I get a couple months down the road and realize that life is still moving along….in pretty much in the same way it was back in December! 🙂

That is okay. Life-change isn’t necessarily regulated by a special switch that’s flipped on January 1. 

Sometimes, life changes are small, minute details that others wouldn’t really notice – not at first.

Maybe you’re getting a little bit more confident every day. Maybe you’re stepping out of your comfort zone a couple more times a week than you used to. Perhaps you’re practicing being more assertive. Or spending late nights plugging away on a precious dream of yours! Maybe you have days where you feel you are just surviving, getting by, and you’re trying your best to look to God for direction and strength.

People don’t always see the changes in you right away, especially changes in your character like motivation or confidence. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t growing.

[bctt tweet=”Just because people don’t SEE changes in you right away, doesn’t mean you’re not growing! Trust!” username=”hannahbeeolson”]

I wanted today’s post to be an encouragement to you. You ARE growing! You ARE moving. You ARE being shaped by God as you daily submit to Him. 

If 2017 hasn’t brought about some radical renewal in you yet — just keep pushing forward, listening to God and His guidance, and being faithful where you are right now!

That’s where I’m at thus far this year. And I’m learning to be okay with it. 🙂 2017 didn’t flip some big life-changing switch for me. Instead, I feel I am just being asked by God to continue growing and trusting Him right where I’m at. Do you feel that way this year?

Your year of 2017 is going to grow you and stretch you in ways you may not have thought of…but let’s trust that any change, even the smallest little bit of positive change, is going to result in a beautiful ending!

[bctt tweet=”Your life changes in 2017 may seem small so far, but God is still using them in great ways! ” username=”hannahbeeolson”]

I have always liked quotes from Elisabeth Elliott. She was such a wise woman, who had lived through much, but faithfully worked through the difficult times in her life (and daily battles), trusting God more each day. I admire her so much! 

 

The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.

 

It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while He is the end of our journey, He is also at every stopping place.

 

When ours are interrupted, His are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable). 

How about you? Has this new year brought about major changes for you? Or do you sense that you are growing in smaller details for right now? How are you trusting God in this chapter of your story?