It had been a good year. “Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass” (Joshua 21:45). Israel had inherited the land, but it had required warfare and conflict. God was faithful to His promise, but He asked for their involvement. . They had to do some fighting too. They had to face many battles but that is what enabled their success.

In life we face troubles, trials, temptations difficulties and may be even some afflictions, but it's still a great life. A year overseen by the Father. We only get the trials that we need. We only get the temptations that God knows we can handle. And we only get responsibilities God knows we can be faithful in.  Our times are never filtered from trouble, but they are filtered by the Father. It is not a good year when everything goes well and there's no challenges or difficulties to face. To grow in faith there has to be a challenge. To grow at love there has to be people difficult to love. To grow in generosity, there has to be needs presented that we can respond to. We become faithful when remain diligent in our responsibilities without supervision nor encouragement. What makes for a good year is when we face challenges and overcome them; when we fall but rise up again and when we have grown closer to our spouse or friend, because of a trial we faced together.  It has been a good year when we lived for a great cause, when our hearts were stretched, and we cried out to know God more. When we had to give something up in sacrifice. A great year is about knowing Him and growing up. It’s about leaving the place you were. It’s about being a wayfarer; it's about passing through the wilderness and arriving at our promised land in Christ.

Friend, I trust this has been a great year and journey for you. Stay on your pilgrimage to ward Him, find the blessing in your valleys; You will enter more of your inheritance and He will crown your year with His goodness, and His mercy.