CONSIDER YOUR WAYS

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DAY 1 - January 5

It’s officially the start of a new year, and that means everyone around you will be picking a verse of the year, a word of the year, setting New Year's resolutions, and reactivating long-forgotten gym memberships.  It’s the time of year when desire and motivation are high, and “New Year, New You” commitments abound.  And though there is nothing wrong with setting goals for the year, most of the time these “goals” are set based on our personal desires and priorities without a second thought as to how God’s desire and purpose fit into it all - leaving us to come to the end of each year and the beginning of each new year having accomplished SOMETHING in our lives but not always having accomplished HIS PURPOSE for our lives.  ​This is very similar to the way the Jews were living when we read about them in the book of Haggai.  Haggai 1:6 says:

“You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty.

You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting

them in pockets filled with holes!” (NLT)

The questions we want to ask (and the ones we will be working to answer over the next 21 days) are: (1) How did God’s people end up in this place of constant want and discontent?  After all, this group of people are descendants of those miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt.  They would have grown up hearing stories of the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), the miraculous provision of food in the middle of the desert (Exodus 16), the collapse of a fortified wall and conquering of a city having done nothing more than marching in circles and blowing trumpets (Joshua 6), and so much more!  Their heritage was packed full of the Lord’s faithfulness and provision.  So why are they now in a place where they “are not satisfied” and “are still thirsty”?  And (2) What, if anything, did they do to return to a place of satisfaction and contentment in the Lord once again?  

Obviously, we can’t answer question 2 without first tackling question 1, and to begin answering that, we need to go back and look in the book of Ezra, which is the precursor to Haggai.  So grab your Bible and take a moment to read the first chapter of Ezra, paying extra attention to verses 1, 2, and 5.

Did anything stand out to you?  Depending on the Bible translation from which you are reading, you will have read a phrase similar to “...the Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus…” in verse 1 and “Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin…” in verse 5.  And in verse 2, you read something like “...The Lord…has given me all the kingdoms of the earth…”

Now, with that in mind, let’s go back and re-read Haggai 1:6.  

“You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty.

You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting

them in pockets filled with holes!” (NLT)

Does anyone notice what element is missing here? In Ezra, the people's action was preempted by "the Lord stirred." However, in Haggai, there is not a mention of the Lord anywhere in the process. Instead, it says "YOU planted…", "YOU eat…", "YOU drink…", and "YOU put on clothes…" In Ezra, King Cyrus declares that "the Lord" gave him his kingdom. In contrast, Haggai says, "YOUR wages…" Clearly, somewhere along the way, God’s people removed Him from the process; now they find themselves living a life of “pockets filled with holes.”

Does that scripture resonate with you? It does with me! I often start the new year determined that things will be different. I order planners, listen to podcasts, and post my goals where I’ll see them, convinced this is the year for lasting change. Despite my best efforts, though, I sometimes end the year feeling like my wages disappear as if I’m putting them in pockets filled with holes: accomplishing something, yet not always the right things.   ​This is the pattern for many of us. Even with focus and preparation, if God is not at the center of our plans—just as He was missing from the post-exile Jews’ actions—we end up “planting much” and “harvesting little.”  ​So, what is missing? To begin answering that question, we simply need to look at the three words the Lord spoke just one verse prior in Haggai 1:5:

“...the Lord of Heaven's Armies says this: Consider your ways!” (NASB)  

Notice the Lord doesn’t say “Do more!” “Be better!” “Get stronger!”  Instead, He instructs the people to pause and, before taking another action step forward, consider their ways!  And that is exactly the challenge we offer to you over these 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.  We challenge you to push PAUSE on your New Year's Resolutions and “New Year, New You” goals and, instead, take this time at the beginning of the new year to “consider your ways” - allowing the Lord to RENEW you in every area of your life!

​In the days and weeks ahead, you will be doing a lot of self-reflection as you “Consider Your Ways.”  Don’t rush through those questions.  Though they may be difficult to recognize or even admit at times, it is important that you be honest with yourself about the current reality so the Lord can do what only He can do in renewing your life today, tomorrow, and beyond!

​Today’s reflection moment is all about the big picture of these 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.  Take a few moments to ask yourself the following questions.  (I encourage you to write your answers down in a notebook or a Word doc, or even record a voice memo so you can reference it later.)​

1. What type of fast am I committing to, and what am I going to fast this week? (If you are unsure of what the different fasts are, make sure you check out the “21 Days of Fasting & Prayer” resource.)

2. At what specific time each day will I set aside for prayer, worship, and reading the word? How will I adjust this if my schedule changes? What steps will I take to ensure this time is actually on my calendar or in my schedule?

3. What do I specifically hope to see God do in my heart and life during the next 21 days?

4. What do I hope God will do in the hearts and lives of my friends and family over these 21 days?

5. What are my personal goals for 2026?

Now, take that list and commit it to the Lord! What does that mean? It means taking the list of personal desires you just created and intentionally putting the action steps on hold. Over the next few weeks, make it your goal to pray over each desire and deliberately "consider your ways." Ask the Lord to show you where your priorities may not align with His purpose and ask Him to reveal clearly to you where He is “stirring up” your spirit.  

Finally, as you dedicate your list to the Lord in prayer, I challenge you not only to commit the verse below to memory, but also to revisit and reflect on it regularly. Let this verse guide you and motivate you to pause and consider your ways in the weeks, months, and years ahead - staying persistent and proactive in seeking alignment with His purpose.

​“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (KJV)