My Hope for 2021
On New Year’s Eve, I tuned into Passion 2021. Passion is a gathering with amazing Christian leaders from around the globe that want to speak life into people in order to start the New Year off on the right foot. I found myself in tears throughout most of the messages because they were so incredibly moving, and I felt that at times they were speaking directly to me. After some prayer and really soaking in what these amazing people had to say, I had a couple of thoughts and hopes for the year 2021.
1. I hope that we can all be kinder to one another. One of my favorite things about Jesus is that he was so kind to everyone that he came into contact with. It didn’t mean that he agreed with what they were doing or all of the decisions that they were making, but he showed them kindness regardless. I have noticed that 2020 is a year where we have not shown kindness to people who think differently than we do. (I’m talking to myself here too!!!). Whether it’s politics, how to handle Covid-19, etc. we are so quick to be angry at the person who has a different viewpoint. Showing kindness doesn’t mean you agree, it just means that you recognize that getting mad or being hateful towards someone does more harm than it does good. If Jesus was kind towards the people that put him on the cross, then we can be kind to someone that has a different political viewpoint than us.
2. I hope that we take the time to enjoy the little things. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we should take nothing for granted. I remember the moment that I got to hug one of my friends after not seeing her for months due to our country being on major quarantine restrictions. Something that I usually took for granted, a hug, became the most exciting thing in the world. I hope that little things like hugs, seeing the people we love, and other things that 2020 has kept us from doing become the big things.
3. I hope that we recognize that this world is not our forever home. One thing that I kept forgetting this year was that God never promised me that this life would be absent of struggles. In fact, there are many points throughout the Bible where he flat out tells us that this life will in fact have struggles. But, the amazing thing is that this is not our final destination in the first place. We are destined for bigger things and perfect things in a place called heaven. Heaven is the place where God promised us that we would no longer have tough times, but earth is not that place. Now, I have noticed instances where I can see glimpses of what I think heaven will look like in my day-to-day life. Watching a snowfall on a quiet winter’s night, snuggling with my cats, talking to a dear friend, etc. However, the expectation that our life here should be absent of struggles is something that God never promised. Heaven is that perfect place.
4. I hope there is less suffering. While I recognize that this world is not supposed to be absent of suffering, I still don’t like it. I want this year to be a year where less people get sick. I want this to be a year where people get to keep their jobs or get new and fulfilling careers. I want this year to be a year where people join together instead of creating a divide. However, the only way to guarantee that there will in fact be less suffering is by putting our hope in something greater than ourselves: Jesus Christ.
5. I hope that more people find Jesus. The only way to guarantee that this year will be better is if more people are rooted in Jesus Christ and the promises he has made to us. He promises to give us rest, to give us joy, to give us worth, to not let us dwell in darkness, among so many other things. Who wouldn’t want all of those things? As for me, I want to spend more time with Jesus and less time worrying about the unknown. I want to spend more time treating others like Jesus would have, and less time feeling as though I have to be right. I want to spend more time reading the Bible, and less time scrolling through TikTok and Instagram.
I pray your 2021 is a year that brings you hope and joy. I pray your 2021 is kinder to you than 2020. And most of all, I pray that 2021 is a year where more people know Jesus.