2014.

A new year.  A new chapter.  A fresh start.

And the first thing many of us do is heap up a ton of expectations that weigh us down and inevitably lead to frustration and disappointment. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about goals. I have set some goals for the new year, and try to maintain a list of goals that evolves throughout the year. There is a difference, however,  between healthy goals that can help us stay motivated and pointed in the right direction in our relationships and careers, and the expectations/resolutions that many of set when we are throwing out our outdated calendars.

To put it simply: we chase healthy goals, unhealthy goals chase us. Unhealthy goals drive us because we feel as if our worth as a person depends upon them. We work relentlessly to prove ourselves. This sort of striving is stress inducing and rarely leads to contentment. If we do accomplish what we’ve set in front of us, we blame ourselves for not finishing sooner, or secretly feel that the goal wasn’t that impressive in the first place. Accomplished goals do not bring personal worth, they bring more goals.

God alone solves the deep hunger for worth and significance that we exists inside each of us. God’s approach to us is to remind us of our value beforewe set off trying to change the world. It’s our value in God’s eyes that gives us the courage to attack the problems in front of us. As you roll into 2014, I hope that you know how deeply you are loved by God, and I pray that the confidence that comes from being so greatly loved motivates all you do in 2014.