It’s the beginning of a New Year, or should I say a You Year; a year I am hoping will be filled with many opportunities, lessons and blessings for us.
Many Barbadians are aware of the predicted challenges we as a people are expected to face this year and for years to come due to our economic situation. I can’t tell you these challenges won’t come or that it wouldn’t be difficult or that you won’t face some discomfort or pain. What I can tell you is that come what may, 2014 can be the year of renewal and change for you. This can be the year you become a new you.
I don’t know about you but I hate hard times and times of discomfort. Being unemployed over these last four months has been uncomfortable. But I have come to realize through my experiences, that growth, development, value and great accomplishments are produced during hard times and discomforts such as these.
We see the beautiful finished products of precious metals in stores but don’t usually take the time to appreciate that when the metals came out the earth, they went through a rigorous process of being pressed, crushed, washed, cut and passed through the fire before reaching the end point of beauty and value. They became something new.
We often read or hear of exceptional men in The Bible and we make reference to them on numerous occasions. Each of these men had great victories and did amazing things, but each had something else in common – great hardships, discomforts and trials.
Let’s look at a few of them. Joseph was highly favoured and loved by his father. His brothers became jealous, threw him in a pit and then sold him into slavery. He found favour with Potipher in Egypt who elevated him. Potipher’s wife accused Joseph of assault and he was imprisoned. Joseph found favour in prison and again with Potipher who elevated him and made him second in command over all Egypt. He lived in luxury and influence and was able to provide for his family and his people during hard times.
Daniel was the most favoured of three governors because he had a good spirit. A decree was issued that no other god could be petitioned except King Darius. Daniel continued to pray to God and, as a result, was thrown in the lion’s den. God protected Daniel, and Darius then made a decree that all men must serve the God of Daniel and Daniel was again elevated and prospered.
Job was a righteous man who was extremely wealthy. He first lost all his animals, then his children were killed and he was covered from head to toe with sores and boils. He stayed faithful to God and was given twice as much as he had before.
Jesus, the Son of God, lived in heaven. He came to sinful earth and lived a life of servanthood, healing and teaching. He was scrutinized, accused and mocked for it. He was whipped, spat on, humiliated, separated from His Father and crucified. He was resurrected and now sits glorified next to His Father again waiting to return for His redeemed ones.
There are many more we could speak about – Moses, Paul, David, Noah and Jonah, just to name a few – but their stories will be similar.
On television, when there is a patient on an operating table in a hospital, the medical personnel often keep their eyes set on the pulse produced on the vital signs monitor. We all know that once that pulse is going up and down, the person is still alive. It is only when that pulse is constantly flat that we assume the person is dead.
Well, our lives are vital sign monitors that show we are living. We have high points (good times) and we have low points (hard times), and that pulse continues for years. The only time that pulse in our lives is constant is when we are dead.
In any crisis there are opportunities to know who Christ is and to become a new you. Will you seize those opportunities this year?
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth youth ambassador. Email coreyworrell@gmail.com.