New Year Expectations for God's Purpose

Expectations are a powerful, driving force, so it’s important to be astute and perceptive in structuring your plans and objectives for the future. It’s possible for us to become arrogant with too much confidence in our self-importance. Then we forget that God Almighty has a place for us, including a specific purpose, and he will see it through to completion.

Understanding that should prompt us, to the best of our ability, to keep moving forward in a spirit of discovery to capture and live within the bounds of God’s purpose. So, what are you expecting God to reveal to you concerning his objective and purpose for this coming New Year?

Perhaps that’s something you could begin praying about today. Why seek God’s insight and approval? Expectations that agree with God’s purpose and plan compel us to give thanks and praise to him for his kindness. What can you possess that’s more satisfying and fulfilling than being a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ?  

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We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails.

~Proverbs 19:21 The Message               

 

It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

~Ephesians 2:10 The Living Bible 

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New Year Expectations for God's Provision

Expectations, whether positive or negative, have the power to direct your life toward a good and inspiring objective or to be challenged by what is evil and harmful and capable of wrecking your life. God intended for you to have positive expectations, with faith to believe in his guidance and provision.

God does not intend for you to live in a state of anxiety or fear, so he provides courage to venture out and live with the expectation that he desires to supply your needs at every turn in life. In Exodus 14 God instructed Moses to tell the Hebrew people, who were at a critical, decisive moment in their history, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see what the Lord will do.”

Whatever situation you’re facing now at the launch of this New Year, God’s word of encouragement given to the Hebrew people long ago is relevant for you today. God has not given you a spirit of fear, so stand firm and expect the Lord to do what is good and right.  Happy New year!    

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Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.

~Ephesians 3:20 The Living Bible

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New Year Expectations for Positive Good

How are your expectations for this coming New Year affecting you emotionally? Are you feeling confident your expectations will bring you joy and peace? Your expectations are influenced by other people’s beliefs, behaviors, theology, and politics. Whether or not expectations become reality is dependent on your commitment to bring them to fruition.

There are positive and negative expectations. Positive expectations are connected to the belief that if I manage my life with realistic boundaries and goals, I can depend on a measure of success. Negative expectations can diminish your self-esteem, your confidence, and can result in distrust that the future will be beneficial.

To counteract negative expectations, turn your thoughts to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who designed you to trust him with all you heart. Then look for the evidence of the hope he will provide. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Let this be your vision and hope. Happy New Year! 

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I am confident of this: that the One who has begun his good work in you will go on developing it until the day of Jesus Christ.

~Philippians 1:6 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English

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New Year Expectations for God's Mercy

 What are your specific expectations for this coming New Year? You may hope everything will remain the same so that your life stays predictable. Are you waiting and hoping for the world to make significant changes so you will feel more secure and safe? Thousands of people are preparing to ring out 2022 and celebrate the coming New Year with fun and laughter.

New Year’s celebrations and parties can be a happy, joyful time to acknowledge what God has provided for us out of his love and kindness. As we are willing and able to express an attitude of gratitude for God’s goodness, our hearts are transformed into repositories overflowing with God’s mercy.

What significant change do you expect to make in this coming New Year? As you consider what that one expectation could be, ask the Lord Jesus Christ to speak to you clearly, and then commit your heart and soul to pursuing that objective. The Lord God promises you a bright future. Happy New Year and God bless you!    

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The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope. The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in him.

~Lamentations 3:22-25  Good News Bible

 

Overflow with mercy and compassion for others just as your heavenly Father overflows with mercy and compassion for all. 

~Luke 6:36 The Passion Translation

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New Year Expectations for a Hopeful Future

Hope for the future can be supported by expectations that good things do happen to those who trust in God’s goodness and mercy. How would you define expectation? Simply put, expectations identify what you want, or fear will happen, in the future. Expectations are closely related to what is anticipated.

Scores of people go forward into the new year expecting to make changes that will have a positive outcome. Good things can happen, so evaluate your expectations to be sure they’re in line with what is possible. God gives you faith for analyzing what is within reach of his will for you.

God designed us to make changes in our life where we fail to live up to self-imposed goals and expectations. Moving forward from where we are now can be achieved by trusting that “God is working by his power in us to do much more than we could ever ask for or even imagine.” This can be your hope for the future. Happy New Year!  

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The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

~Proverbs 10:28 English Standard Version

 

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him!

~Ephesians 1:18 The Living Bible

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Moving Forward with New Year Expectations

It’s impossible to live without expectations, specifically when those expectations are linked to the necessities that perpetuate our existence. Expectations are oriented toward the future and to decisions that daily confront us. Expectation can be coupled with something that brings joy and pleasure or to what is difficult and even feared.

We will soon be saying goodbye to 2022, which indicates the Christmas season is ending but not what made it joyful and delightful. For some, this first day after Christmas means getting back to routines and reality, but to others the joy of sorting out gifts and visiting with loved one continues to be delightful.

The new year challenges us to move forward with hope. Jesus gave us this encouragement, “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be open to you.”  These are action-oriented words and filled with hope for those who believe God is present to help us with unexpected challenges.  

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Fellow Christians, I don’t think I have [the goal] in my hands. But one thing I do: I forget what is behind, reach for what is ahead, and with my eyes on the mark I go after the heavenly prize to which God has called us in Crist Jesus.

~Philippians 3:13-14 Beck – New Testament in the Language of Today

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