2018 is off to a running start. I hope you’ve found time to reflect over the past year and consider what the Lord has in store for the coming year. If you’re like most people, you made some sort of New Year’s Resolution which often has something to do with weight loss or healthy eating. If so, how are you doing 2 weeks in?

This year, I chose to forego the health and fitness pledges and concentrate on a deeper matter, that of trying to enhance my inner beauty. Now, I don’t have ambitions of becoming the perfect Proverbs 31 woman, but the Lord has placed on my heart the desire to become more Christ-like, to pursue the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control (Galatians 5:22). A noble pursuit, right?

Well, wouldn’t you know, not two days into January, Satan started throwing the book at me, bludgeoning me with opposition, strife, self-doubt, discouragement. You name it. He threw it! (For more on Satan’s subtle tactics check out my post on Putting on the New Blog.)

Satan doesn’t like when we seek after the things of God. He’d rather us get sidetracked onto less harmful ambitions that don’t threaten his plans to separate us from the Lord. When we seek to deepen our faith, he doesn’t take that lightly. But our God is bigger and more powerful. If we place our trust in Him, He’s sure to bless us.

So, instead of letting Satan’s tactics defeat me, I’m more determined to stay the course and am relying on the Lord’s strength to follow through with my desire to become more like Christ.

If you’re facing discouragement as you begin this new year, I encourage you to find your strength in God. He alone can see us through life’s hardships and trials. As you spend time in His Word and in prayer, may He Sow Seeds of Hope in your heart in the year ahead.

If you have words of wisdom to share or you’ve been encouraged by this post, I’d love to hear about it!

Connect with Cynthia on Facebook and Twitter. Read more of her writing at: Putting on the New Blog.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia’s characters in her debut novel, UNDER THIS SAME SKY, available in both e-book and print at Amazon.com

NEXT TIME: My journey to publication spanned 3 decades! Join me next week when I’ll share a fun picture that motivated me to never give up!