I was recently challenged to pick just one word to focus on this year. You might find this challenge interesting as well: http://oneword365.com/
My word may not be a year-long word. I do need this word until my brain pathways get fixed. You see, I have discovered that I’ve developed a new mental twitch. When life happens, I have begun anticipating the negative in light of our past. We had 3 family members die in just 2 years and two months. Prior to that, my life and livelihood were majorly disrupted through a layoff, and I have not yet found my balance.
If I keep ducking with each new life event, I will continue to be reactive instead of proactive.
Therefore, my one word is: Forward
In scripture, sometimes the word “ahead” is used to reach the meaning I am looking at:
Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
Proverbs 4:25
Paul said it this way:
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
A quick search of the bible finds that God promises again and again to go before us. He also tells us to remember who He is based on past actions. There is a balance on how we see life, but for now, I need to face forward, and look at what is in light of the fact that God has gone before me. No more anticipating yesterday’s problems, or cringing from last year’s pain. I need to face forward and see life in a new light.
One thing occurs to me as I anticipate this mental change: new faith. Instead of relying on yesterday’s knowledge of God’s provision, I will need to go to Him fresh – expecting Him to show Himself in each new situation. I anticipate learning new things of God as I rely on Him in a fresh and new way.
So…is God challenging you to let one word seep into your life this year?
2 Responses
[…] At the beginning of 2012, I posted a new way to look at the new year, based on oneword365.com. (See that post here.) […]
I think a good scripture for meditation as you focus on “forward” and God going before you is Matt. 6:25-34 —
” 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I think the secret rests in staying in the moment, the present and enjoying that moment for exactly what it is.