When you're at the end of your rope

"What does it look like to go to God first?

I tried to be careful and intentional about my goals for 2024. I love motivational and inspiring videos, reels, and blogs, and I can very easily get caught creating a long laundry list of everything I want to do, and everything I want to be.

It's a hard-hitting reality when I remember that the only difference between December 31 and January 1 is a different year. The awesome, incredible, transformative dreams and goals we have for ourselves can't just "happen" overnight-- they take weeks (or months) of discipline and God's grace.

If you're interested in learning the science and psychology of building good habits, I highly suggest reading "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. He makes habit-making and goal-setting so much more tangible and realistic.

That being said, one of my (few) goals for 2024 is to be better at always, and in everything, going to God first. In this day and age, when we have a problem, or when we're sad, discouraged, frustrated, or even happy, where do we go?

The internet seems to have answers and advice for everything. Social media has tricked us with instant amounts of dopamine that scrolling and being fed constant information entertains and makes us happy; And if we're lucky, we are surrounded by people who love and want what's best for us.

But what would it look like to go to God first? (before all of these things and people)

I'm not saying don't ever utilize the tools we're given, or confide in good friends we've been blessed with, but what would it look like to go to God first with it? There's a lot of information and advice out there... and a lot of it is bad.

I remember a time in my life when I was going through a very hard and confusing time. I usually prefer to keep my life to myself, but for some reason, I sought anyone's advice who had some-- except God's.

I'll be honest, it was one of the worst decisions I have ever made.

No one's advice aligned with another's, the advice I was given was so polar opposite, everyone was passionate and adamant about their opinion, there was no clear answer, and it left me even more confused, stuck, discouraged, and overwhelmed than before-- and I didn't think that was possible.

Needless to say, I keep most things just between God, a couple of others whom I trust, and myself now. The quote, "It's more peaceful when everything is private" (anonymous) could not ring more true. And I think it's a testament of faith.

I clearly doubted God in so many ways. If we declare that God knows everything about us, every detail of every situation (even details we don't know), that He's not surprised by anything in our lives, He knows how everything will turn out, and His Word says He will give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5-8)-- Why don't we ask?

I asked myself, why am I not asking for guidance from the One who controls everything about this?

Maybe we don't believe we will receive an answer from a God we cannot see. Or maybe we're afraid of what He will say if we ask. If it's the first, what do you have to lose? If it's the second, I'd say that's a pretty heavy conviction to bring whatever it is to God.

After way too long of drowning in other's advice, I was at a place most of us have probably found ourselves, "the end of my rope." One evening, I apologized for going to God last rather than first and humbled myself while asking for His guidance.

He graciously made His direction clear-- and it was nothing like the advice I had been given from others. It involved a daily ritual that ended up changing me and giving me the only peace that surpassed all understanding. The peace that Isaiah talks about in Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in You."

Friends, whatever we're facing or feeling, let's challenge ourselves to go to God first. He will rejoice or grieve with us, and He will provide the best guidance, in the perfect time, if we ask Him.

So "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)

Even if that's the only thing I accomplish in 2024, I'd still call that a successful year.