Happy New Year!!! This word has been on my heart since we have celebrated the New Year on January 1, 2021. I am praying that the Lord crowns our New Year with His goodness and that He drips abundant provisions on our individual paths!
The Natural Process of Growth
Now with this, comes an admonishment…we have some work to do this year…Don’t believe me. Look around at the climate of our country. The United States of America is divided. Families, friends, coworkers, and many church congregations are divided over many issues. This division has been happening over a long time, divisions are a natural process of growth. Look at our cells, they divide to multiply. Many plants can grow by dividing themselves into two. Divisions cause us to really look at what matters, to look at the important things, to look at what’s in our hearts and how we respond. It gives us a chance to check our hearts. But even while this division is going on, we must maintain the right position. Those cells in our bodies divide and keep working to keep our bodies healthy. Old cells die off. Those plants I mentioned earlier, the mother plant keeps growing, she does not cut the young plant off. She makes room for the young plant. She adjusts her position to accommodate the new young plant. I love nature, so many lessons can be learned from God’s natural world and applied to our own lives.
Furthermore, divisions will cause us to be shocked. Yes, we will be amazed at what is coming out of someone’s mouth and yes, we will wonder, “Why is God allowing this to happen”...but remember even in all of this, the Lord has crowned this year of 2021 with goodness and our paths with abundance!
Be Mindful on The Path of Abundance
The Lord showed me how we have to be mindful on this path of abundance, that we don’t allow or become a stumbling block for others. What is stumbling block? I gathered some definitions from several sources, here are a few. A stumbling block is a condemnation, an untrue judgment about a person, an obstacle to progress, a hinderance, a doctrine that blocks someone’s way so that they trip over and fall spiritually. It is a spiritual mindset that would cause a person to stumble in life… in other words, to miss out on the goodness and abundant life that God has promised because a wrong spiritual mindset.
The Stumbling Blocks on our Path of Abundance
In this year of goodness and abundance, we will have to watch out for the stumbling blocks that the enemy will try to place in our paths. He will use many people who have not submitted their mouths to the Holy Spirit. They may be speaking from frustrations, wounded, jealous hearts-broken, bitter cisterns and many will have beliefs rooted in toxic doctrines. So, we must be careful during this season, to watch out for certain words. Words can be a stumbling block. Watch how people will try to argue with you. They will try to talk you out of your opinions. They will not respect your opinions. Their aim to make you see that you are wrong and they are right. They don’t realize it but they have just allowed the enemy to put a stumbling block in your path. Please don’t argue with them. Don’t get into a debate. That is not Christ-like behavior. Debates are the devil’s playground. Simply state your point and move on.
If you need to, pray about it. God will help you, if you ask Him.
Here is a prayer I like to use…
Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, help me to see every stumbling block that the enemy is putting in my way. Help me to see people are not the enemy. The real enemy is the devil who is seeking to kill, steal and destroy me at every opportunity. When I see the stumbling block, God give me the wisdom to respond correctly. I ask that You show the person the error of their way and how they are letting the enemy use them. Give them grace to repent. Also, give me grace to walk over the stumbling blocks of words, actions and divisions. In Jesus’s Mighty name, Amen!
Crowning Thoughts: Stumbling blocks will come but our minds are crowned with the truth of God’s word in every situation. My new year is crowned with goodness and my paths are dripping with abundance!
Treasure Chest Gem: Romans 14:13 NLT So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.