Well, this year is almost done and gone! It is always a good time to reflect on what we all did, what we accomplished, and how were our lives changed in the past year. For me, it was very hard year at work because of growing pains at the bank, but it’s all good. I survived the year! Now, I am looking forward to 2013 and what it has in store for the bank. On the personal side, the highlight of my year was my trip to Nicaragua with Opportunity International. I now have new hope on how to help the poor be self-sustainable and improve their lives.
I wish you all the best in the New Year and hope that you will find your calling to help others. Don’t forget to always hang on to God. He will guide you every step of the way through your life’s journey.
Keep God at the Top of Your Priorities
#6
1 John 5:21 (NLT)
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
The King James Version of this verse says, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” With so many things this world offers us, we have to be careful and guard our hearts at all times from things that have the potential of taking God’s place in our hearts. We all have desires and dreams we want to pursue in our lives. Most of them are placed by God in us. However, even when those desires and dreams are from God, we have to be careful they don’t occupy our entire life. These dreams can become our idols if that’s what we pursue day and night and if we spend all of our resources on them. Things that can move us away from God are not only natural things such as money, success, fame, popularity, hobbies, or even our children; they can be also our desires, dreams, and our idols (including people we idolize). In other words, anything that takes priority over God in our lives can become our idol.
To refocus, always go back to the Word. Matthew 6:33 (KJV) says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” The key is to put God first in your life. Everything else falls into place after Him.