PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Happy New Year!
I am praying that all of you have a wonderful 2019 and that God will grow you in faith, wisdom, and obedience in the year to come!
A few days ago, I mentioned that I’d be sharing my 2019 Word of the Year.
My word this year is Forgive.
This is something I struggle with.
I don’t like to admit that, but I’m being real with y’all…
I can hold grudges.
Sometimes, a trigger can bring up all kinds of emotions of things I thought I was long past.
When that happens, I feel angry, frustrated, and disappointed all over again.
It makes me wonder—have I ever really forgiven?
How can something that happened over 25 years ago still impact me this way?
I know that the concept of “forgive and forget” isn’t biblical.
It’s from Shakespeare.
He used the phrase in “King Lear.”
Yet our Christian Church has embraced it as the (unrealistic) standard that we’re to obtain when we extend forgiveness.
However, I’m not God.
I can’t forgive and throw past offenses as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
But I do believe that the Holy Spirit is challenging me to embrace a deeper understanding of what forgiveness means.
One of our ministers preached that forgiveness is sometimes a moment by moment thing.
I agree with him, but does feeling angry over something I thought I’ve forgiven truly constitute forgiveness?
The coming year is going to involve some study on what true Christ-like forgiveness entails.
I’ve even named it—it’s called “The Forgiveness Project.”
I wrote about it in my January column for Forsyth Family Magazine, and I’ve posted the link below if you want to read it.
I’m curious if any of you are adopting a word of the year?
Feel free to share in the comments.
This is my 3rd year and I’ve learned so much from doing this.
I’m eager to learn from this year’s word.
Today, as you pray, thank God for a new year.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you focus on your relationship with Him in the coming year, and give you a heart that’s willing to serve, grow, and obey.
And even forgive.
COLUMN IN FORSYTH FAMILY MAGAZINE:
https://www.forsythfamilymagazine.com/grace-full-life-word-year/
