I always love January. A fresh new year and a whole world in front of us. The past couple of years have been wild, I’m sure you’ve heard of this pandemic that’s been happening, of course I know that all of us have been dealing with the complications. In the midst of all the insanity and unknowns, God is still good. One of my biggest takeaways from this past year, is that God is still good and will continue to make a way in the wilderness. Perspective is incredibly important in all that we do, and I know life has not been forgiving in these past years, but we must rely on Christ and know that He is making a way in our wilderness wandering.
For the past several years, as part of my new year tradition, rather than making a giant list of goals, I create one word to focus on. One word that is an attribute that I want to add to who I am and can center my pursuits for the year on. I started doing this as a way of speaking power into an area of my life I felt like I was lacking in or needed Christ to step into. Two years ago, I was deeply hurt and didn’t want to love people, I chose to have my word be “lover” and that year God showed me how to have deep love for others and bring forth joy in that. This past year, dear Danielle and I were going through a season of unknowns, I chose the word “faithful” so that I could grow in my trust for the bigger plan God is working. The pursuits and dreams all stemmed from these words and others like them, helping me center my focus on what God was cultivating inside my heart.
My word for the new year: Confident.
In our elementary curriculum, the word confident was defined as seeing yourself the way God sees you. I want to learn to see myself the way God sees me.
Confidence is something that I have struggles with a lot through the years. Not feeling good enough or not living up to the expectations of others has been something that I have battled so much. The reality is, God has created me to be, simply me.
In every pursuit, every new endeavor, I want to see myself the way God sees me. I am a qualified individual that has a unique perspective to bring into every area of my life. Don’t read this as me trying to be prideful or gain attention, this is personal, I want to see myself the way God sees me and not allow anyone else to define that picture.
There are some new chapters I am going to be stepping into, but rather than allow the enemy a voice, I will choose to remain in who God has created me to be.
Maybe you need to choose to see yourself the way God sees you. You are His beautiful creation, worthy of the great love of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection power.
What’s your word?
So, what will your word be this year? The page is blank, why not write something beautiful in it? Every year in the latter months, people have forgotten their resolutions and have chosen to only see the negative aspects that have happened over the months. This is not to neglect the very real struggle that we all experience, but what would happen if we were to focus on how God can grow us? What would happen if you chose to write on that blank page, an attribute you want God to grow in you?
My journals throughout the year, center on this word that I am trying to cultivate in my heart. It’s amazing to see moments of growth and breakthrough that come from choosing a word to focus on for the year. What I’ve learned from this practice is this, resolutions fade but allowing Christ to cultivate something new lasts a lifetime.
As we enter this first week of a brand-new year, choose to be intentional. It can be easy to allow the ups and downs of life to drive our emotions, but we need to allow Christ to enter every aspect of life. Don’t let this opportunity go to waste, see this as a moment to start something new, to be someone new. God wants to use your life, so create a space for Him to do it.
I’m praying for you and your words for this year.
You can do this, because you have a creator that loves every part of you.
-Joshua Thomas
About the Author: Joshua Thomas is a writer by day and superhero by night. When he’s not writing and crimefighting, you can find him reading a good book, sipping warm tea, taking pictures, or dreaming. The young writer doesn’t fully know what he’s doing, but is enjoying the journey of it all. You can follow his hipster photos and Jack Kerouac musings on Instagram @joshua_thomas__
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