2020, A Year For Growth
This has certainly been a year to remember and one that many might like to forget. The past nine months have been some of the most difficult and divisive any of us have seen. From quarantine and civil unrest to the politicization of everything and, of course, masks, our country has been in a constant state of tension. What’s worse, each of these issues have, in their own way, been used by the enemy to disrupt the unity and the peace of many churches where they were not “diligently preserved,” according to Ephesians 4:3.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28
But this is not the full story. As we know, our God is in control and our faith was built for difficulty. It was not designed for mere survival and our hopes are not limited to a marginal net gain in the end. No, we can be expectant of exponential increase, because “…all things work together for good…” (Romans 8:28). This means not a single crazy, tragic or challenging part of 2020 is an exception to the “all things” Paul writes about here. To be sure, God’s people and Christ’s Church have endured far more than we have this year and guess who is still on His throne!
So, my question for us all is this, “How have the events of 2020 worked out for your good?” Put another way, “How have you grown spiritually this year by way of having a godly response to difficulty?” Or perhaps, “How has God used the difficulties you faced this year to mature you in the faith?” The underlying idea is that it was all worth it. Not that we are glad these things have happened, but we are grateful to God for how it was used to increase our knowledge of, love for and obedience to the God we love. With this perspective, this year may well have been a year of unprecedented spiritual growth for many.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” – James 1:2-4
Christlikeness, at all costs. Spiritual maturity, no matter what. This is the tone of Scripture for the Christian life. A good warrior does not seek out battle but knows that only the fight will test his warfare and advance his skill. A dedicated athlete is not exempt from the discomfort and pain of training but considers them necessary for success in competition. The farmer finds beauty and meaning in hard Autumn and Winter labor because he knows a corresponding Spring harvest will come (See 2 Timothy 2:4-6). According to James, the Christian’s greatest joy is found not in the difficulty itself but in what results from it – becoming a more mature, more resourceful followers of Jesus. In this way, God offers to color even our most difficult times with a meaningful shade of expectation and dependence that produces godliness in us.
To help you take inventory, here are some practical points of reflection…
Quarantine/Lock-down: How has being furloughed either revealed a lack of trust or increased your trust in the Lord to provide for you and your family (Matthew 6:25-34)? How has a more flexible schedule either promoted laziness or led to good and godly habits (Prov. 21:25; 26:14)? How has being separated from the gathered church either revealed a lack of love and need for the church body or deepened your appreciation for the corporate gathering (Hebrews 10:25)? How has more time alone either resulted in unconfessed hidden sin or increased self-control and holiness (1 Corinthians 10:13)?
Politics: How has the intensely polarizing political scene either created division between you and another or compelled you to maintain peace and unity with someone who sees the world a bit differently than you (Ephesians 4:3)? How has the loss or victory of your candidate revealed more trust in a particular party platform or reinforced your hope in God’s sovereign rule both in the world and His Church (John 18:36)? How has the threat of losing religious liberties and the influence of conservative values either provoked fear for the future of American Christianity or a renewed boldness to be salt and light in an ever-darkening world (Matthew 5:13-16)?
Civil Unrest/Race Relations: How has the violence in our country either incited fear and self-preservation or roused a deep concern for neighbor and a profound pity for sin (Mark 12:31)? How has the attention on the topic of racism either revealed prejudice in your heart or caused you think more deeply about how God has made mankind in His image while celebrating diversity (Genesis 1:27)? How have the conflicting views of race relations either created division or compelled you to maintain peace and unity with someone who sees the world differently than you (Ephesians 4:3)?
COVID-19: How has the thought of being exposed to a novel virus driven you to prioritize safety above all or required you to reevaluate the eternal significance of spiritual health and being on mission (Acts 20:24)? How have mask mandates and other COVID-19 protocols either exposed selfishness as an inconvenient violation of your rights or encouraged a humble and selfless love of neighbor (Philippians 2:3)? How have your pastors’ protocol decisions with which you have disagreed resulted either in a bad attitude and defiance or an attitude of prayerfulness and submission (Hebrews 13:17)?
There’s a saying, “never let a good crisis go to waste.” So, while you might be looking forward to the new year, a look back is in order. Take inventory. Learn lessons. Count blessings. God desires to use “all things” from this hard and hectic year to produce in you steadfastness and maturity, no exceptions. This means there is nothing that cannot be redeemed for God’s glory and for our ultimate and spiritual good. And this is especially important, because this next year might just hold more of the same for us!