“I am not there yet” is the saying you need to hold on to in order to remain joyful and finish this year with a hopeful heart.

‍“Almost” can sometimes sound like a hard word. I almost achieved that goal, almost got the job I wanted, almost got into the relationship of my dreams. When we find ourselves at the end of a year, we tend to look back with sadness and disappointment on the things that we didn’t achieve.

But if we change our perspective and look deeper into the things that we did accomplish instead of the things that we didn’t, we can actually find joy in the “almost”.

I almost stayed in that bad relationship but I was finally brave enough to end it. I almost didn’t dare to take that step and start pursuing one of the dreams God has been whispering to me. I almost stayed with a grudge in my heart instead of forgiving that family member who hurt me. I almost remained the same instead of letting God transform my character through that difficult season.

The important fact is, that you almost did, but you actually didn’t.

Paul said it like this in his letter to the Philippians: ‍

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” - Philippians 3:12-13‍

He knew that there were things he hadn’t achieved yet. But instead of dwelling on that, he decided to remain focused on keeping his eyes and his mind on what was coming into his life, and forgetting what was left behind.

In the same way, the best thing we can do to finish the year strong and start the next one with a hopeful heart is to forget about the things we didn’t accomplish this year and remain expectant on the future God is holding for us. And knowing that just because we haven’t arrived at the places he’s called us to go, and achieved the things he’s called us to do, doesn’t mean that we aren’t getting closer to them.

It’s not about speed, but about consistency‍

If you ever went on a road trip with your family when you were little, you most likely asked the question: “are we there yet?” And your parents would answer something like, “not yet”, “we’ll get there when we get there” or “you'll know when we are there."

Regardless of what their response was, it always stayed on the fact that you were getting closer, that you’d eventually get to your destination, and all you could was to be patient and enjoy the ride.

The key was not to focus about how fast you were getting there but how you were making it through the wait. ‍

“Yet” is the key word that changes the meaning of everything. Sometimes all you have to say to yourself is “I am not there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday.” There are things that God has called you to do, but it’s okay if you haven’t achieved them fully just yet.

Reflect on the steps you’ve taken already to get there, however big or small, and know that you are getting closer. And just like when you were little, instead of getting bitter during the process, all you have to do is be patient, keep moving forward and enjoy the ride.