You know how people pick a word for their year — a life-word to focus upon? Well, I think I finally have my word for 2014. Or at least my word for now.
I haven’t sought God too fervently on the issue. But it’s a word that keeps coming up. It’s the thing that God keeps bringing to the forefront of my days. So, I’m going with it.
PRAY.
“Pray.” With a period.
Prayer is talking with and listening to the God of the universe. It’s aligning my heart and mind with His will. And when I do, life changes. I change.
So He’s prompting me to pray in every moment, with every emotion, regarding every thing.
Angry? Pray.
Sad? Pray.
Bitter? Pray.
Happy? Pray.
Frustrated? Pray.
Excited? Pray.
Confused? Pray.
Pray.
The truth is, my heart gets all twisted up. My perspective gets skewed by my short-sighted emotion. My desires tend towards my selfish agenda. But the abundant life flows out of oneness with my God. And oneness comes when we seek after Him through prayer.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24
I’m learning that prayer is about having real conversation with my Maker. It’s me telling Him how I feel and what I think, and then Him reminding my heart and mind of His character and promises. How does He remind me? Through His Word.
I know it sounds churchy but it’s power. I’m learning to lay my heart before Him and then preach to my soul, moment by moment. I praise Him for who He is and thank Him for what He’s promised. And after that, peace marks me and hope starts to arise within me, not because my circumstances necessary change but because my perspective changes. I turn my eyes onto the One who’s in control.
And then the next minute, I do it all over again.
Pray. That’s my word. That’s where He has me.
I’m thinking it’s going to be a pretty amazing year.
Fill me, Lord…
Do you pick a word for the year? If so, what is it?
Or if you haven’t, what would you pick?
Mine is Follow. So far so good – learning so much! You have an awesome word – I want to turn to prayer in all things, too.
Follow. I love it. Following Him…
my 2014 word is WAIT…hardest. thing. ever. for me! waiting on the Lord…expecting HIM above all!
mariel
marieldavenport.com
Girl, you’re not kidding. It is hard to wait. I actually did a word study one time on the word “wait” as it is in Isaiah 30. And I was so encouraged to find out that in that particular text it was a very active waiting. In Isaiah, the word means “to bind”. As we bind to Him, moment by moment, He strengthens. Praying for you in the “waiting”.
thank you for praying…of course you will PRAY! 🙂 love the binding to God visual…it makes the waiting all the sweeter. sometimes I think the whole point is found in
the waiting…in the binding ourselves to Him!
mariel
I just read “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson. It is all about prayer. A truly well written, and prayer inspiring book.
I’ve been wanting to read that book. Thanks for the suggestion!
I”ve read “The Circle Maker” three times! It changed my perspective on prayer in a huge way. I’ve always been a “prayer”, but this book took me to a deeper level. There’s a companion 40-day devotional, as well, with excerpts from all his books…another good one!
My word is FAITH. Faith that God will make straight my path, faith that He will provide, faith that He will finish the work He has started in me, faith that my children will develop their own personal relationship with Him.
Faith. That’s the bottom line, isn’t it. Faith that He will be who He says and do what He promises. Praying I walk by faith this year as well. Bless you, sister.
Intentional! This year is all about being more intentional with my life, with my faith, husband and daughter, my friendships, my resources, my time. I’ve had success and failure, but I keep coming back to HIM and His grace….so I guess grace could be my #2 🙂