Episode Summary:

The end of the year often brings about a time of reflection over our growth and achievements from the past year, as well as dreaming and planning for the next year. A popular practice at the start of a new year is to choose “a word of the year” to guide our focus, goals, and resolutions for the next year. For some, this is a rewarding and encouraging practice. For others, it leads to guilt and shame when they don’t have a word of the year.

In this episode, Dr. Michelle and Rev. Jessica share their experience with the practice, as well as several alternatives to the popular “word of the year” practice so that we can continue in the new year growing in our faith walk without the pressure thinking that there’s just one way to do this.

Quotables from the episode:

When others are following a practice, and God is not confirming it for you, it can lead to you feeling inferior, feeling left out, feeling like a failure, and wondering if you don’t hear from God.

The problem with many of the quizzes out there is that we can skew the results based on our answers. They are strongly influenced by our personality, by our expectations of ourselves, and by what other people have said to or about us.

God’s approach with each one of us is not a cookie cutter format.

1. Reflect on Past Growth

When we get to the new year, we can tend to be so focused on what's coming that we lose sight of what has been and what has God done for us in us and through us. And there is a good place to pause and reflect on how you grew and changed, especially over the past year. That can guide where we need to go, where we want more growth. What do we need to continue doing that the Lord has shown us?

Reflect on God’s Faithfulness Through Journaling Oftentimes God's faithfulness in our lives is tied to a difficult circumstance. And especially if we've had a hard year, we kind of just want to close the chapter on the year and open up the new one. And there is a time and a place. We don't want to dwell. Dwelling in negativity and the frustration part of it isn't healthy, but dwelling in God's faithfulness is absolutely healthy because remembering His faithfulness is going to carry us through future hard things. When we can look back, when we can reflect on the past year to see God's hand at work, even in those unforeseen circumstances. And if we can start celebrating those small victories, those unexpected lessons, when we can build altars of God's faithfulness, that can actually propel us into the new year.

Questions to ask yourself at the end of the year:

“What were some of the most significant moments of the past year?”
“What did I learn about myself through the trials and triumphs of the past year?”
“How did I grow in my faith and understanding of God’s purpose?”

We can get so focused on our accomplishments that we lose sight of the fact that our purpose is to fellowship with God.

Our purpose and our call are slightly different things. When we pursue our purpose, our call will follow.

Our purpose is to fellowship with God.

God will not bless my call when I make my call my idol.

2. Choose a Guiding Verse or Scripture Choosing a Bible verse or a passage to meditate on throughout the year, it’ll help us keep our focus on God’s guidance rather than our personal ambition.

3. Set up a monthly or quarterly intention. Break up the entire year inter shorter time frames. It might be monthly or it might be seasonal. Use those shorter time frames to focus on areas of growth that God is encouraging you. It could be, for example, to focus on one of the fruit of the spirit at a time, or focus on a theme like prayer one season and gratitude the next, forgiveness another, the armor of God, etc.

4. Anchor Yourself in Prayerful Reflection If we are anchored in prayerful reflection, God will guide how he wants us to focus going into the new year.

Spending time in prayerful reflection gives us clarity, and it gives us wisdom, and it gives us peace.

Scripture References:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”
Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Hebrews 4:12-16 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 10:35-36 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Joel 2:25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you.”
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Recommended Resources:

Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything By Jessica Van Roekel
Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
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YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms
Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals
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Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide
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