See
Psalm 143:5 (NASB)
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your accomplishments;
I reflect on the work of Your hands.
Psalm 66:5 (NIV)
Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
Insight
I guess sometimes I am just slow to learn! I have been doing My One Word for many years and usually do a good job of remembering the word throughout the year, and I do try to interact with the word and keep it in front of me as much as possible. As I go through the process of picking my word, I would usually focus on characteristics that I feel like I was lacking in and that God would want me to change about myself.
Naturally, as I begin the process, I focus on myself and what I think I need to change to become more of who God created me to be. Through that lens, I have chosen words like obey, abide, follow, trust, need, sheep, follow, and faith. Through the years of trying to fulfill those words and trying to do things that made me more “holy”, I felt like I never really grew that much. So the next year I would re-think my previous word and follow up with a “stronger” word to help get me in the right place.
Like I said, I am slow to learn. It took me until 2022 to have the most amazing encounter with My One Word. In 2022 I chose the word “Reflect”. I chose that word for two reasons. First, I wanted to reflect Christ to others, and second, I wanted to reflect on the goodness of God. I chose Psalm 143:5 to “reflect on the work of His hands”. As I went through the year, I was challenged in so many ways through some difficult situations to stop and reflect on what God was showing me. My ways of thinking were challenged, and I took the opportunity to sit with God and reflect on who He was and trust what He wanted me to know. As I went through the year, I really got to see how God was shaping me not by me doing MORE to become who I thought I needed to be, but by sitting with Him and reflecting on what He was showing me. Because I got to see the goodness of God through what He was doing, I did not have to focus on me! All the previous words I had chosen were all about what I needed to do.
Because of the amazing encounter I had last year, I have chosen to continue along the same lines for my word this year. In 2023 I have chosen the word “See”. As I went through the process of picking my word this year, I saw last year’s word “reflect” as more of a passive word. It was passive because I sat and replayed what God was doing, trying to find Him in the middle of what was going on. This year I want to use the word “See” as a more active word where I intentionally look FOR God and what He is doing in real time. I want to be intentional and I want to see the awesome deeds He puts before me. I have chosen Psalm 66:5 as my verse this year to keep me grounded in seeing God and His love for me, and as I see that, my heart will bend more towards a reflection of Him instead of me showing how good I am at fulfilling a word by my efforts.
Reflection
Are you taking the time to “see” the works of God in your daily life? If not, what can you do to begin seeing that?
Is your One Word something that sets you free to be more of who God calls you to be, or is it one that causes you to try to control everything and change a behavior and not your heart?
What is one thing you are willing to do today to put away your thoughts and see God in His glory?
Prayer
Holy Spirit, I thank you that you are present within me. I thank you that even though I am slow to learn sometimes you still remind me and guide me so I can see your awesome deeds for mankind. Lord, I pray that each person reading this will take the time to sit with you, see you, and remember that you are always shaping us to be more like you. I pray we do not simply try to avoid the things we don’t like, but Father, I ask that you allow us to see you in the hardship and trust that you are still working in those times to bring us to know you and trust you more. Amen.
Dennis Hufham, Care Pastor at the Wilmington Campus, wrote today’s devotional.