The safest hour in America occurs at 11 am on Sundays in churches all over our country. When did we bite off on the myth that we are supposed to be safe, comfortable and predictable?  Church is the place we should be risking the most! If what happens in you while you are in church doesn’t stir you up and make you a bit uncomfortable, then find a church where it does!

"Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life" (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14, NLT). 

It's been scientifically proven that January 22 is the most depressing day of the year.

It's been four weeks since New Year's, and for many of us, we don't get another day off work for a long time. It's also Monday (which never helps) and here in the North, we're about halfway through a cold and dreary winter.  

On top of that, after all the fun and frenzy of the holidays, reality starts creeping back in little by little...and it feels like a drag. For those of us who made New Year's resolutions, we are just now discovering they're not much fun to keep. Reading a book a week seemed like a piece of cake a few weeks ago. And now pieces of cake are the farthest thing from our minds as we work the elliptical to get rid of those extra pounds. 

A lot of us are becoming cynical about our resolutions. The resolutions for self-improvement don't work, so we resolve to do just the opposite: Pour gravy on everything! Leave the couch only in an emergency--and it had better be a good one! "I've tried and I failed," we say, "so there's no point in trying again." 

Read through today's verse a couple times. Of course you might come away really depressed. But there's encouragement in there too.  

One reason our resolutions fail is because we realize they were unrealistic. An hour at the gym every day sounds like a great idea, but who can keep that up for long?  

A second reason is that life happens. A new semester begins and suddenly you're swamped with homework. You get a job in a different city and your new church doesn't offer you as many opportunities to serve. Life changes all the time in little and big ways. 

And that's where you can find comfort in these verses. Life changes, but God doesn't. Things may take a turn for the worse tomorrow, but we know God is in control. No matter how dark and depressing today may be, as long God is on His throne in heaven (which is always), things aren't as bad as they look, and better than they seem.  

Consider It

The resolutions we make at any time of the year have a lot to do with our changing moods. When things are going well, we feel like we can do anything. When things are bad, even getting out of bed seems impossible. The fact is, we can't trust our moods. If you really want to make changes in your life, it has to start with your thinking, not your feelings.  

Matthew 6:32-33 says "Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (NLT). 

• How does knowing about God's daily provision change your thinking about self-improvement resolutions?
• What do you think it means to "seek the Kingdom of God above all else"?
• How can you remind yourself of this in your day-to-day reality?  

Apply It

The best resolution you can ever make is to resolve to spend more time with God. Some people find that setting aside 15 minutes in the morning is the best way to connect with God. Others prefer listening to the Bible in audio form and praying "on the go."  

Find some way this week to incorporate time in your schedule for reading the Bible and praying. You'll find when you start that you'll have some help in this. Let God reassure you personally that He's in control of your life and you don't have to sweat the changes. 

Express It

As you pray, acknowledge to God that you know He's in control. Ask Him to take away your fears about the future and your guilt about not being as good as you want to make yourself. Ask Him to show you His love for you today in a special way, and praise Him when you find it.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Happy New Year!!

Train stations in Japan often list stops in both Kanji and English. This one did not. The longer I stared at the sign, the more it mocked me.

Finally, I asked the woman standing next to me: “Do you speak English?” “A little,” she said. She understood where I wanted to go and motioned for me to follow her. We got on a train, and she drew a map with the stops listed in English and Japanese. Then she took me to the correct line for my transfer. She didn’t just tell me the way; she showed me the way.

When God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He didn’t merely tell them which way to go; He showed them the way with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:20-22). The people, however, repeatedly refused to trust their Provider-God. They hardened their hearts and rebelled against Him (v.8; Psalm 95:7-8). The consequences were disastrous. Their “corpses lay in the wilderness,” said the writer of Hebrews (3:17).

Today, God shows us the way through the guidance of His Word and the illumination of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). Yet we too can stubbornly ignore His step- by-step guidance. That’s why Hebrews says of those disbelieving Israelites, “Because of their unbelief they were not able to enter His rest” (3:19). Then the author draws a clear distinction: “They didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest” (4:2-3).

Not finding the right train route is a mere inconvenience. Knowing our ultimate destination in life and yet refusing to follow it is a mistake with eternal consequences. The question to ask ourselves is this: Are we among those who believe?