For some of us, our theme going into 2025 is that haunting song sung by Carrie Underwood,
Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
'Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
And save me from this road I'm on
Oh, Jesus, take the wheel
Like it or not, all of us are on the road to 2025, and some of us are so desperate we want Jesus to take control of our lives and literally steer us where He wants.
The rest of us are not so hopeless; we fit somewhere between being super busy with a bunch of yelling kids strapped in the SUV with no time to think about God's will … to being grumpy and bored sitting in a golf cart headed to the pickleball court with all the time in the world yet never thinking about God's will. Many of us in either situation want Jesus safely belted in the passenger seat, having Him tell us where to go (only when we need Him), and of course, we, as a standard operating procedure, decide either to obey Him or go our own way.
Bottom line upfront: This is huge. You can help yourself and thousands of others down the road by taking the following survey. It will help us develop an instrument that measures one's openness to God's will in their life. It's easy. Just click this link: https://bttb.org/godswill
According to a Cato Institute poll, around 83% of Americans agree that it is good to have a purpose in life. A sense of purpose is good because it is associated with numerous positive outcomes, including better physical and mental health, increased use of preventive health services, and reduced mortality risk. Purpose is also linked to higher life satisfaction.
However, surveys also show that only 10% of people say they know their life purpose, and only 5% say they follow it regularly.
By knowing God's will for our life as Christ Followers, we have a reference point for everything we relate to as well as being linked to higher life satisfaction.
I want you to know that in 2025, I, Arnie Cole (you know it's my life work), and the staff at Back to the Bible promise this New Year to do what it takes …
· To help you find God's will in your life for 2025
· To help you develop a daily habit of engaging with the Bible and mentoring or discipling others
· To help you better discern the Holy Spirit's voice in your life.
All within one year. The catch is we need to all work together.
For me, the greatest, most frustrating struggle was to try and figure out God’s will for my life. And yes, I understand first and foremost, Jesus always calls us to Himself. The problem for me has always been what He would have me do beyond that.
You know, I wouldn't have even thought of making any kind of personal promise, much less an organizational promise to you if it hadn't been for my daughter Laura last week. You see, she wanted me, of all people, at my tender age, to get a matching tattoo with her that simply says Romans 8:38 on it (one of my favorite verses).
And thanks to her, that reminded me that God had made an unbreakable commitment to us:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. –Romans 8:38-39
(Think about it - nothing can separate us!)
And I know I can't have tattoos all over my body, but there is that other verse-
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” –Deuteronomy 31:8
(He also walks ahead of us, clearing the path and knowing what's coming.)
Yet — and here's where it gets complicated—we still can choose our own path. When we decide not to pursue God daily, we are slowly walking away from God. It's not that we've escaped His presence or love; instead, we're choosing to ignore the guide who's still there, still going ahead, still loving us. It's like having the world's most faithful friend who keeps walking alongside us even when we pretend they're not there.
The combination of these verses reveals something remarkable: even in our moments of walking away, we're never truly "away" in the spiritual sense. God is still with us, going before us, still present, and still loving us—not as a distant observer but as an active participant in our journey. Our choice to distance ourselves doesn't change His position or commitment; it only changes our awareness and acceptance of His presence and of course, knowing His will for our life.
As we enter 2025, let’s embrace the truth that God is always with us. Take the "Openness to God's Will” assessment, https://bttb.org/godswill to better understand where you are and align with His purpose. God is always ready to lead us when we choose to follow. Let’s make 2025 a year of intentional growth together.
Let me know what you think about the survey or even the Romans 8:38 tattoo idea.
Send your comments to me here.
Happy New Year!
-Arnie
