Happy New Year eeee!! I love the turning of the calendar for the hope, motivation, and excitement that it brings...even if I continue to write "2020" in my journal by accident every day! However, it would be naive to think that a new year automatically eliminates all of the struggles and battles of 2020. I saw a meme from @pettychristianmemes on Instagram the other day that perfectly captures this haha!
Our hope must be in JESUS. He must motivate us this year. His PLAN and PURPOSE should be the source of our excitement! Despite anything this world can throw at us, we can have secured victory in the One who controls all things.
If you have followed along with my spiritual journey for a while, you know that every year I hop on the trend of choosing a word to focus on for the new year. This year, I was inspired by a friend to also chose a VERSE for the year that coincides with the world the Holy Spirit prompted in my heart. I am committing this verse to memory and meditating on it daily so that the Lord can bind it to my heart!
Without further ado... I am so excited to share that my word for the year is CELEBRATE!! For me, this word has three meanings for my 2021. First, this year I want to be dedicated to CELEBRATING the good I see in others rather than comparing myself to others. It's the same power, right ;) Why would I compare myself to the work the Lord is doing in someone else when the same spirit lives in me? Secondly, I want to continue celebrating the little things around me. I am asking God to increase my wonder and to help me fall more in love with Him.
Finally, I am choosing to actively celebrate my season. This is the biggest thing I am excited to dive deeper into as Jesus molds and refines me in 2021. I have been letting myself live in fear and insecurity for far too long. Recently the Lord used others to open my eyes to some big weaknesses I have: people-pleasing, false humility, and disobedience as I run away from my calling due to fear. I am so ready to put the work in to let the Lord change me in these things. My heart is nervous and scared for the season of refining I feel coming, but I know that the Lord is by our side through the battle!
This leads right into my verse for the year, ironically shown to me by the same friend that suggested I pick a verse in the first place haha! 1 Corinthians 15:10 says, "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was within me".
I have been convicted recently of how the words of Matthew 7, "ask, seek, knock", are ACTIVE words. In order to discover our purpose, to find confidence in the Lord, and to live a life worthy of our calling, we have to be ACTIVELY moving towards it. The verse in 1 Corinthians perfectly ties together the word celebrate with this concept. I will celebrate who I am in Christ, while also working hard towards the purpose he has called me to! It's called a battle for a reason!
Although the battle will continue to rage on in 2021, we are fully prepared and equipped by our loving Father with everything that we will need. I am excited to begin pressing into the life of celebration God has intended for me.
Here are some practical goals I have set for myself to achieve this:
Be in the word every. single. day. The battle takes preparation
Raise my hand to talk in each class at least once a week
Focus on my spiritual journey as a "one-day-at-a-time" fight, knowing tomorrow is not promised and there is no reason to worry about the next day
Be quick to be a volunteer when one is needed
Meet with professors and those older than me weekly for courage and accountability
Do not be afraid to fail in front of others, but let God use my weakness for His glory
Looking forward to celebrating how the Lord works! Hold me accountable, friends! Here's to making this year one of refinement, celebration, and courage!