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Many of us struggle to answer this question. But if we were asked, “Are you fully living as that person?”- our response is an easy “no.”
We see gaps in our character, patterns of behavior, and cycles that continue to repeat themselves. When we meet resistance, face adversity, or encounter failure, we lose hope and resign ourselves to believing, "That's just who I am.” But, deep down inside, we know we were made to be so much more.
Life’s normal, natural pace won’t lead us to become the person God created us to be; neither will all our good intentions. We need something different to become different—a disruption from the routine.
Choosing a single word for the year provides us with a way to focus and a lens to notice God working on our heart and character. It’s not a promise to be better, but a perspective that encourages us to become.
Picking a One Word is easy, but walking through this process of discovery is important.
Below you’ll find some steps to help you through the discovery process.
Slowing down to consider each step will prepare us for the journey ahead and allow us to move into the future with greater confidence.
If you already have your word for 2024, we encourage you to not rush past this exercise - it will help you better articulate why you choose it and reorient your focus.
In the process of becoming, we need a lens, not a promise.
All of our longings for something more are our hearts yearning to experience God's goodness in us. Being made in His image, God designed us to reflect His character and heart. The process of becoming who God uniquely created us to be is a life-long journey where transformation doesn't happen overnight but through daily dependency over time.
Scripture promises that the good work God started in us He will see to completion. God is committed to the journey of us becoming all that He calls us to be. Take some time to reflect on what kind of person God wants you to become, as you do think beyond actions and appearances, and delve deeper into your soul.
Questions to consider:
How do you notice or pay attention to the person you’re becoming?
Where do you see yourself as unfinished or in process?
How can you step into 2024 fueled by hope rather than regret?
For further exploration, listen to our podcast conversation, “Who are you becoming?” linked below.
Who we are is rooted in who God is.
When we think of the person we want to become, no one ever hopes they become more bitter, angry, jaded, and cynical. Instead, we instinctively seek out virtues like loving, kind, forgiving, patient, and generous. Our desire to be better isn't random but by design. The push we feel to change and become is God-given. Scripture opens up in Genesis 1 with the creation story, reminding us that we are image-bearers.
Who we are is rooted in who God is at His core. Our quest to become has the fingerprints of God all over it, revealing our innate desire to bear the image in which we have been created. As you begin to consider the type of person you sense God is leading you to become, identify some of the characteristics that would define them.
Questions to consider:
How would you describe the person you believe God is leading you to become?
What specific qualities or characteristics does that person possess?
In what ways does that person reflect Christ’s heart to the world?
For further exploration, listen to our podcast conversation, “Made in God’s Image” linked below.
Rather than do nothing about everything, do something about one thing.
Don’t be overwhelmed with your potential list of words. Whatever word you choose, it will influence other aspects of your character if you keep it in front of you and commit to it. For example, someone who is more PATIENT can’t help but be KIND. Your word will influence and shape you in ways you can’t imagine or foresee.
Change is possible, but focus is required. God created us to live in a way and at a pace that He established. He has made a way for us to experience the life He has intended us to live and become the kind of person He's calling us to be. Rather than doing nothing about everything, My One Word invites us to do something about one thing. With this in mind, begin to narrow your focus.
Questions to consider:
What aspects of your heart need your attention?
What potential words are you considering?
Why have these words resonated with you?
For further exploration, listen to our podcast conversation, “Freedom to Focus” linked below.
Commit to the journey by picking a word.
Choosing a word isn’t the finish line, but the starting point. The steps we take determine the life we experience. By choosing a word and keeping it before us, we move in a direction that takes us a step further along the path to becoming. We might not know what the new year will bring or the circumstances we will encounter, but by committing to a word, we have a lens to assess our response to them and see God at work.
Mark a moment, draw a line in the sand, and gather stones to build a monument that declares your dependence on God for all He has in store for you in 2024. But, don’t keep your word to yourself, share it with others so they can encourage and challenge you to step into the person God is inviting you to become. Change is a community project.
Questions to consider:
What word will you pick as your One Word for 2024?
How will you keep your One Word in front of you this year?
Who can you share your word with and invite them to support you in this journey?
For further exploration, listen to our podcast conversation, “Committing to the Journey” linked below.
Each month, we will send you an email that will prompt you to reflect and process the person you’re becoming. Simply share your word with us to sign up for future emails!
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