New Year Hopes: Where Is Your Courage to Move Forward?

You are now experiencing 2024 and may or may not feel differently than you did yesterday about your future, but where have you placed your hopes? It’s worthy to assess if what we permit ourselves to depend on is actually in compliance with God’s plan for our future.

We as human beings need objectives that are achievable from a realistic  perspective where success is based upon past experience. However, there are new ideas and goals we might want to experiment with, even if a proven background is missing that would verify success.

It takes courage to move forward to test what is possible with the financial and physical boundaries that must be honored. Listen to God’s words of encouragement. “When you pass through deep water, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned, for I am the Lord your God who saves you.” Happy New Year!

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I will answer them before they even call to me, while they are still talking about their needs.

~Isaiah 65:24 New Living Translation

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Can There Be a Positive End to Anger?

Anger has the potential for being constructive when it serves as motivation to pursue solutions to issues. All too often, however, anger produces negative consequences for oneself and relationships. Hurt feelings and jealousy often precede anger, as in the parable of the two sons.

After work the older brother came home to discover a party celebrating the return of his wayward brother. The older son refused to participate. Listen to his outrage to his father. “All these years I’ve slaved for you and never disobeyed your orders. You never even gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.”

What is he expressing? Probably surprise, jealously, disgust – but at his core, hurt feelings have evolved into anger. Anger can be used for introducing needed change that leads to satisfaction with life. God is not interested in you remaining angry. Ask him for wisdom to escape its negative power.   

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I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

~Isaiah 65:24 The Living Bible

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Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Conflicted Within and Without

Conflict between individuals usually has its roots within one or both persons. When someone is troubled by conflict, it’s usually because of being forced to choose between different courses of action. After high school, I had to choose between a course of action that would please my parents or bring peace within myself.

One side argued for college and another for military service, which put me in conflict with my parents. This inner struggle represented distinct parts of my personality, each vying to be heard with their equally important viewpoints. This inner conflict eased when I chose the military, but tensions increased between me and my parents. 

Whether conflict is internal or external, decisions are demanded. The conflict with my parents subsided when they chose to honor and trust my decision. God does manage to “work all things out for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.” It was during my time in the military that I came to realize God’s purpose for my life.  

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Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

~Proverbs 19:21 New International Version

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Isaiah 65:24 The Living Bible

Jesus answered, “You do not now understand what I am doing, but by-and-by you will learn.”

~John 13:7 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People