In the final chapter of the book of Job there is a verse that has become a source of inspiration to me. Job 42:12 says, “God blessed the latter days of Job more than the beginning.” The last verse of the book says, “Job died old and full of days.” My life is more than half over and with much faith and determination I have lived a most blessed life. No, it wasn’t easy. Life rarely is. The good news is that Jer. 29:11 says that God’s plan is for our good. He has plans to prosper us, to give us a future and a hope.
I truly believe that the second half of a person’s life can be more blessed and productive than the first half. My wife and I have set out to make this a reality in our own personal lives. Every journey begins with a single step and we have begun ours by making the decision to step out in faith and no matter what the devil throws at us to make this the best year of our lives. Will you join us?
After serving God for over thirty years the time came to get a new assignment from the Lord. All the things He had told me to do was accomplished and it was time for something new and fresh. We entered into what was called a “halftime” experience where we took a break and spent the entire year enjoying life and taking in all that life has to offer. It was during this time that the Lord laid on my heart something special He wanted me to do. My mind and spirit was well rested and I began to fulfill this heavenly call with everything I had in me.
Of course, the devil didn’t like this one bit and the year was filled with trial and hardship. Thankfully, the mission got completed and many people have been blessed as a result of our efforts. It was now time for us to get our lives back on track to where it was in the previous year. It was now time for a turnaround.
In the book of Job we read that he was a very blessed man. He then entered a season of his life where he lost everything he had. He suffered hardship after hardship and then nine months later experienced a miraculous turnaround. His life was going in one direction and then the path he was on shifted and he began going in another direction. Eventually he received twice as much as he had before and this is when God blessed the latter years of Job’s life more than at the beginning.
Have you had a rough go of it in recent times? Are you ready for a change in the direction your life is going? Are you ready for a turnaround? If so, then listen carefully to what I’m about to say. A turnaround is a matter of the heart and our circumstances have absolutely nothing to do with it. We all have something in common. There are circumstances in all our lives that we’d rather not be in. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. Let’s face it, life is not always peaches and cream.
Still, you can have the best year of your life in spite of what your circumstances are. You see, change comes from the inside out. When you change on the inside, God steps in and will change your circumstances on the outside. This is the key to getting a turnaround in your life. Remember Job 42:12? It didn’t say Job blessed himself. No, Job changed his attitude and God blessed him. The latter years of Job’s life was better than the early years. Job had a turnaround and his life got better. In fact, it was twice as good as it was before.
I am now on assignment from God to encourage you to do the same thing. Change your attitude! Say “this will be the best year of my life!” My friend, it’s time to wake up and smell the roses. Yes, all roses have thorns but so what? Winners focus on the bright red flower whereas losers focus on the thorns. Remember, what happens is all in God’s hands. We change our attitude and God does the rest. It’s already happening in the lives of my wife and myself and it will happen to you as well. God is no respecter of persons. He wants to move in your life but first He wants to move in your heart.
The Bible says in Proverbs, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Get up every morning and picture yourself succeeding in whatever you put your hand to do. If you’ll keep the right images in front of you, and always submit yourself to the Lord through prayer and thanksgiving, God promises that nothing will be impossible to you. Sometimes the circumstances of life can make us feel like we’re in a dead end situation and you know not where to turn. Is this where you are today? If so, don’t give up. Never, never give up! What may look like a dead end to you may in reality be the beginning of a fresh supernatural flow of God’s divine power and favor into your life.
This is why you need to learn to not trust in yourself but in the God Who “raises the dead.” Think about it. When your hopes seem buried and you’ve got no where to turn, isn’t that when God’s power begins to operate in your life to the greatest measure? As long as you’ve got a loving Father you can call on, a word from the Lord you can stand on, and faith to activate all His promises, you have got reason to rejoice. You can have a turnaround that will give you a bright future. How bright? Gloriously bright! So call on your Heavenly Father today and do it in faith. Expect Him to release His power on your behalf and watch Him begin to turn your dead end situation around.
Finally, as we were partaking in one of the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us during our turnaround my wife looked at me and said, “It feels good, doesn’t it?” Yes dear, it certainly does! Will you join us? Will you trust God to bless you so much that life just feels good? Believe for a turnaround and have the best year of your life. It will be a year you’ll never forget!
