I Will Be Genuine

Some people make resolutions in the New Year.  I have never been one to do that. What I do, while it may be similar, is choose a verse of Scripture that I believe God is desiring me to understand and live more fully.   This year my verses are 2 Peter 1:5-7
 "For this reason, adding your diligence to the divine promises,  employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue and in exercising virtue,  to develop knowledge.  In knowledge, develop self-control, in exercising self-control, develop steadfastness; in steadfastness, develop godliness and in exercising godliness, develop brotherly affection and in  exercising brotherly affection develop Christian love."  Amplified

I chose these verses not because I think I can accomplish any of this on my own, but rather because I hear Jesus calling me to a new place (spiritually).  I chose these verses because they represent my heart's response to the grace of God.  I want what He wants for me.  Therefore,  I am an apprentice of Christ.  I am the understudy.  I am the forever student.  I am the clay... 

 If I had to summarize 2011 in one word, it would be the word overwhelming.  The year presented itself with more changes than I could number!  Some wonderful, some awful, some, well the jury is still out...
It is no wonder to me that the verse for last year was "you have need of patient endurance".  Boy did I!  But throughout the year I have grown in that area.  I learned to trust God in a way I had not previously known.  I learned to walk in His peace as never before.  I learned to really bask in His Word and His Presence and to allow Him to put the finishing touches on my "God-sufficiency" rather than my former "self-sufficient" focus.  All in all, there are some incredible blessings that have come out of 2011, and I am extraordinarily grateful!

So, here I am walking through the door of 2012.  I have a new verse, ( perhaps prophetic; like last year's), I have new challenges, new friends and most importantly, a new commitment to the One who made me for Himself.  I want to be genuine.  I want to be like Him.  I will be genuine.  I will be more like Him. For the old things have passed away, behold I am a new creation in Christ.  I am His and He is mine.   My life in 2012 will be lived for an audience of One.