One Word
It took me a while to settle on this. A few key words came to the forefront of my mind as I prayed through the decision. You may remember that I mentioned 'Simplify'. {deep breath} Nice, isn't it? It's something I definitely need to make a goal this year.
But I knew that wasn't quite the word...
Other words that jostled in my head were 'love'... 'contentment'... and 'serve.'
But I kept hearing this word whispered in my ear... settling in my heart.
Joy
At first I thought well, you can't have joy without first being content, so my word must be 'contentment', for I certainly wrestle with this in my heart. But after praying about this, the Lord showed me that I had it backwards. I was thinking of Joy as Happiness. I realized that true joy doesn't come from having a content heart. Rather, it's the other way around - I will learn to be content in all things {Philippians 4:11} when the JOY of the LORD is my strength.
When I take a fresh look at my salvation - how God gave His Son to take the punishment for my sin - I can't help but have a JOYful heart! When I look at things in everyday life from that perspective, the tiresome work of being a stay-at-home wife and mommy doesn't cause my feet to drag {and my tongue to complain} as much because my focus has shifted.
I believe this is the focus God desires from me this year - to learn that no matter the circumstance {tired, drained, frustrated, overwhelmed, falling behind...} - I can have a heart full of JOY - because of the sacrifice and provision of Jesus Christ, giving me a treasure I never deserved!
Did you ask God to give you a Word for 2011? It's not too late. My best friend read my last post, and after praying with her husband, the Lord laid a word upon their hearts for them and each one of their children as well. I love to see how God uses His children to inspire, challenge, and sharpen each other.
So now I challenge you to ask the Lord for a word for 2011 - will you do it? Let's encourage each other this year - are you with me?
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