Do you have a personal word of focus for the year? A word from God? Maybe it is a word that pops out to you when you are reading the Bible or listening to a sermon. Or perhaps it is just a word that refines your understanding of people and circumstances around you.
At the end of 2021, I was reading posts from friends on Facebook. One of my friends, Lisa, wrote that each year, as she transfers over her birthdays and anniversaries from one calendar to the next, God gives her a word for the new season. Last year, her word was “Trust”. She was hoping that her new word would be “Joy”.
It made me wonder: Should I have a word?
I was considering this question when, on January 3rd, Pastor Pat delivered a sermon on “Six Words that Remind us of Familiar Biblical Truths”. The words he suggested to guide us in the New Year were: Jesus, love, follow, read, pray, and share. The idea was that faith in Jesus comes first. Next, we want to have a personal relationship with Jesus and love Him as well as others. Third, as we follow God, we should read the Bible and pray. Then share the good news.
Ironic that the first sermon of the year would be keywords of the Christian faith, I mused. Were one of those words, my word? I didn’t know. I continued to mull it over. If I was to have a word, what would it be?
My Husband’s Word
I asked my husband if he had a word for the year. He knew right away that he had not only one, but two related words: joy and rejoice. He quoted Philippians 4:4, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (NLT).”
My husband has had the word “joy” for a while. Whenever a pastor mentions it in a sermon, he looks at me, nods, and smiles.
He defines joy as a happy/contented feeling dependent on God and the work of the Holy Spirit, not circumstances.
He groups “joy” with the word “peace”. This makes sense because the verses following what he quoted are these, “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5-6). Peace and joy go hand in hand.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines joy as, “The emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: DELIGHT.” Using this secular definition, I would argue that when our top desire or delight is in the LORD, we can have joy despite trials.
My Older Son’s Word
Next, I asked my eldest child if he had a word. After a few minutes of thought, he came up with the word, “nuance”. What’s a nuance? Again, I went to my dictionary. “A subtle distinction or variation”.
My son was actually focused on exploring nuance in life and people, however, it lead me to think about how it related specifically to the Bible and what various pastors focused on as they preached. For example, let’s take the verse, John 3:16 NLT – “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
From this verse, one could focus on the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, belief in God, or eternal life. All are important doctrinal truths. I think the Holy Spirit emphasizes particular aspects of a verse when we read so that our attention is spotlighted on what God wants to say to us at that particular point in time. The scriptures are literal and God-breathed, but the HS points out the details he wants us to see. He refines our understanding of the Bible. He clarifies the nuances.
My Younger Son’s Word
When I asked my younger son if he had a word, at first he said, “No”. However, after a moment or two, he admitted that sometimes he becomes anxious about work, school, and his future. “God is teaching me to trust,” he said.
Trust is based first and foremost on relationships. We can’t trust someone until we know that they are reliable and worthy. This begs the question: Is God trustworthy and reliable? The answer is… Most definitely! yes!
By reading the Bible we can learn about the character of God.
- He can not lie: Numbers 23:19
- He is holy (morally and spiritually separate from anything corrupt): 1 Samuel 2:2.
- He does not change: James 1:17.
- He knows everything: Hebrews 4:13.
- Everything God does is right: Deuteronomy 32:4.
- God is in control: Philippians 1:6.
What conquers all fear? Trust in the Creator/God. Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” And God promises that when we trust, our minds can be at peace. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock (Isaiah 26:3-4).
God will not let us down!
My Word
I want you to know that at the beginning of the year, I felt a little left out. My friend, husband, and two sons all had a word, but I did not know my word until last week. My word is “pray”.
It’s a key element in the Christian faith, so it has been in the sermons that I have heard this year:
Regarding the Past from Pastor Jim: Respond to ridicule with prayer (Nehemiah 4:4).
Regarding the Present from Pastor Pat: Don’t be anxious about anything; instead, take your thoughts captive in prayer (Philippians 4:6).
Regarding the Future from Pastor Brian: Prepare and Pray (Proverbs 16).
It was even in my New Year’s Resolution Blog under “pursue prayer”.
But it took that uneasy feeling of anxiety where my throat got tight and my stomach churned, to drive me to my knees.
What are we supposed to do if we are afraid? Unhappy? Struggling in our faith? Pray!
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).
Do you know what? As I pray, God answers. And as He answers, I am joyful and I continue to trust and pray more.
Now the word “pray” is highlighted in my mind every time a read my Bible. If you ask me to pray for you, I will. I am journaling, listing my prayer requests, and marking answers. I also have a desire to study the verses in the bible that have to do with prayer. Taking time to build that relationship with God is making all the difference.
What’s Your Word?
Having a specific word for the year isn’t necessary, but focusing on any aspect of the Bible can be life-changing. Maybe there are key tenants of the faith that you want to study. Possibly it is a subtle nuance in a pastor’s sermon that sparks your interest. Whatever the case, God can speak to you from His Word. We just have to listen.
What word or focus is the Holy Spirit putting on your heart, today?
My word for this year is FAITHFUL. The banner that Jesus Christ wears is “Faithful and True.” The Bible states that God’s servants need to be found “Faithful.”
This year the Lord has prompted me to stop leading in a local Bible Study, to go and learn, but not lead. It is something I have very much enjoyed and will miss being with the committed ladies that do lead and meet together to share the Word of God.
The Lord has prompted me to stay home more. To go through my Stuff and pare down, give away, get rid of stuff. No one will want to go through my stuff when I go home to be with Jesus. He has told me I am well enough and now is the time. I am to be faithful.
Faithful has many meanings:
FA’ITHFUL, adjective
1. Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion.
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10.
2. Firmly adhering to duty; of true fidelity; loyal; true to allegiance; as a faithful subject.
3. constant in the performance of duties or services; exact in attending to commands; as a faithful servant.
4. Observant of compact, treaties, contracts, vows or other engagements; true to one’s word. A government should be faithful to its treaties; individuals, to their word.
5. True; exact; in conformity to the letter and spirit; as a faithful execution of a will.
6. True to the marriage covenant; as a faithful wife or husband.
7. Conformable to truth; as a faithful narrative or representation.
8. Constant; not fickle; as a faithful lover or friend.
9. True; worthy of belief. 2 Timothy 2:2.
After two months I have organized the garage, getting rid of stuff. I have so much stuff to go through that I have barely made a dent in the project God has given me. I am trusting that he will give me strength, wisdom in decisions, and persistence in this huge task. I want to be faithful to this task and to all He prompts me to do, that He finds me doing His will when He returns for me.
One of my favorite blogs so far. Keep up the good work!