Earlier this year I considered what word from Scripture I could adapt and implement in my life that would impact the way I live for God? The Lord led me to this passage.
“Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;” (Psalm 37:4-7 NIV)
The words “delight-commit-trust-be still” reached from the pages and gripped my heart. They became resources for me through this year’s ups and downs.
I have written separate articles on “delight” (here) and “commit” (here).
Often, I found myself in situations that brought on stress, fear, and uncertainty. Sometimes applying the words “trust” and “be still” simply meant repeating them until I settled down.
Trusting in the Lord and being still before Him has been the greater challenges this year. I needed to have confidence in God to handle the uncertainties. This is a challenge for me because I am a doer and to put my hands up in the air and say “You take over God” can feel frightening. (Random thought: that made me think of the song “Jesus Take the Wheel.”) So the challenge was, and is, to build that confidence so I experience peace instead of fear.
For example, my youngest child received his driver’s license this year. (Insert lump in throat here!) I ran hundreds of scenarios through my mind and with each one he needed me. Obviously I cannot always be with him, but I know someone who can and is: God! I had to decide to trust God to see my son through any situation. I did not know how God would care for my son but I was reminded that faith is “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
Have I mastered this kind of trust? No, but I get better with each trip he takes…
I choose to trust God every time my son gets in the car. When I do I am at peace; however, being still before the Lord and waiting on Him PATIENTLY can be a “nail biter.” So, I’ve learned that taking a deep breath and remembering God’s faithfulness leads to growing longer nails. J
Have these five words the way I live for God? Yes! They have impacted my mindset, attitude, and outlook. They have affected my interaction with others, my faith, and my well-being. (Plus…my husband thinks I am nicer 🙂 ).
Are you up for a challenge in 2016? Search Scripture for a word or verse for YOU! Pray for God to reveal it to you. God will give you what you need for next year. It will be a fruitful lasting word that will impact your life.
Prayer: Lord, show me where in the Bible to look for the word or verse You would have me apply to my life throughout 2016. I pray that You will etch it on my heart and let it be a change-agent in my life for Your glory. In Jesus Name. Amen.
