As the New Year rolled in, I was constantly asked what my New Years Resolution was. I never had an answer to give anyone. I am not a big "resolutioner" if you will. I have never made the decision to resolve anything in my life. I think mostly because I am lazy and I don't think of these things enough. I have never put in any effort to change something as soon as the new year comes around. I am more of a change-things-as-the-problems-come-up kind of person. Also I have never wanted to make a resolution I didn't mean such as go to the gym more, pick up a new instrument, be nicer to people on the street. Heck, I feel fit enough, I already play 3 instruments and I think I am a pretty nice person (you can all hold me to this and prove me wrong if you feel differently)
But God showed me something new. In a Facebook post I read, there was some talk about a "word of the year". Not a resolution that you change as soon as the New Year starts, but a whole word to define your year and help you grow in the Christ-like way we should as believers. As soon as I read this I was immediately praying, searching for my word. You see, a word isn't just a "hey I am going to put cheetah speed effort for the first three weeks of the year and then turtle down as the year continues" kind of thing. It is a long lasting thing. It follows you. It pops up. And if it comes from God, there is no getting rid of it.
My word didn't just pop up right away when I was praying, it has been brewing up in my head for quite some time. God has been working this into me for a long, long, long, long, long time. In relationships, family, life, faith. I am a bit ashamed to say I haven't listened as well as I should. I am pretty hasty, I like seeing results, I like things going my way and I don't like people messing it up and bugging me. More over, I don't like putting in the effort needed to fill all the previously mentioned things. Woah, is it hot in here or is it just me? So when this word thing popped up I was into it from the start. A word. One word. To work on, to grow, to change, to define myself, my year and my faith? Yes please!
So for this year, 2013, my word is:
PATIENCE
Yup, patience. I need patience in almost every aspect of my life. In my faith. In my family (goodness they get annoying sometimes- patience, starting now). In my relationships. In my future. God's timing is perfect, it is time for me to be patient with Him and know his plan is perfect!
So I am going to start working on this. If you want, hold me to it. This is part of my life that I really want to work on. Patience. I am so excited to see what this year holds for me and what God is going to do with me. I am so excited to practice patience. Amazing patience.
"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised" --Hebrews 6:11-12
