How You Can Start Living Your Best Life Now

Posted on Jan 15, 2019 Topic : Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Meghann Bowman

As we begin a new year, often times we are excited by the promise of new. New beginnings, new seasons, new expectations.

We make resolutions to live our healthiest lifestyle, find that job we’re passionate about, finally take control of our finances, or improve our relationships. And when we resolve to do a new thing, our human nature is to really want to succeed. After all, Proverbs 13:12 says that “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Maybe your resolution starts with “this is the year for (fill in the blank).”

My words were “this is the year we will start a family.”

But here’s the thing—our desires and expectations are not always God’s plan for our life. My family didn’t come for five years after I started “trying” for a baby. While I was determined to “fix it” on my own, there was no amount of will or resolve that would have brought me a baby. I had to wait for God’s perfect timing, which is hard and painful.

In the midst of this season, I had all kinds of thoughts—I am not worthy, I am not doing the right things, I am not trying hard enough…and on and on. My desire was not fulfilled. My expectations were not met.

What do we do in these situations? My biggest takeaway from my five-year infertility journey is we cannot wait for our desires to be fulfilled and our expectations to be met in order to live our best lives.

We must not live without joy or gratitude until our expectations become our reality.

Today, I have the family I always wanted but that isn’t what gives me purpose and fulfillment. While the tiny people who rule my house are gifts from God, I already had everything before they arrived.

I am a child of the King, who alone gives me purpose and fulfillment.

And you are too—no matter what expectations are unmet and what desires are unfulfilled.