Dust Off Your Highest Hopes

After the chaos that was 2020 and the blur that was 2021, I don’t think anyone wants to claim 2022 as their year.

For many of us, the last two years have been challenging. We threw our planners and habit trackers and goal sheets to the wild winds, wishing for better days as pages of our lives whirled away.

It feels like so many of us have decided to defer our dreams, thinking “not now,” “I can’t,” “I’m not enough,” or “I don’t deserve this.”

Like the people in the book of Haggai, our lives feel empty when we’re not fulfilling God’s purpose for us, which is the true desire of our hearts.

“You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

Haggai 1:6 NIV

In the story, the Israelites are faced with rebuilding God’s temple. They’re discouraged when they think about the past and Solomon’s grand temple. Like some of us, they’re standing on ruins of years past and unsure that things will ever be the same, or even as good.

BUT despite their (and our) shortcomings and circumstances beyond our control, God is still great.

He comes to His people with reassurance and encouragement, reminding them of His power and His presence.

“Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: ‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.”

Haggai 1:13

In our weakness, when we abandon the dreams God called us to, He reaches out and stirs our spirits.

“So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God.”

Haggai 1:14

To not now, we say the time is now.

To I can’t, we say God can.

To I’m not enough, we say God is more than enough.

To I don’t deserve this, we say no one deserves it.

What did you put away in 2021? What dreams did you tape up in a box and shove aside? What did God put on your heart last year?

It might look different for each one of us. It could be making moves to our dream job. Returning to our favorite hobby. Taking that once-in-a-lifetime trip. Feeling worthy of having a relationship that honors God. Sharing the gospel with that coworker. Writing that book.

“‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Haggai 2:9

2022 is the year we don’t settle. There is a God full of grace for our past mistakes. He has the provision, He has the power to do immeasurably more in our lives.

God wants us to dream big, change the world, and reach for His goodness. So like Taylor sings in her re-released song, “dust off your highest hopes.”

When I think about what God is going to do this year, “all I know is newfound grace– and everything has changed.”

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18 – 19