Well, here we are – already a couple weeks into January. I had hoped that 2021 would be a little better than 2020 but alas, it seems that the crazy just keeps on coming.
Peter keeps trying to share all the news headlines with me but frankly, I just want to stay in my little bubble. I keep telling him, “I’m just going to live my life.” I’m not exactly sure what that means, other than I cannot handle any more stress or bad news or unrest. I just can’t.
Usually when a new year begins, I pick a word and verse of the year, and I make a few resolutions. But y’all. I’m having a really difficult time doing any of those things this year.
Work has been stressful as school has moved from traditional to virtual for the month of January. As a speech-language pathologist, this brings several challenges and added stressors. Not to mention that I’m also attempting to help my own children with their schoolwork.
Also, I want to make plans and reservations for our big summer vacation but dang if COVID isn’t interfering with everything I try to do. It’s too much. Too overwhelming. And I find myself wanting to burrow into a hole and shut down.
I don’t want to live like this, shut in against the world, but at the same time, I’m not sure exactly how to live my life during this crazy and unsettling time we find ourselves in.
But then.
Then I pick up God’s Word and He tells me how to live.
He reminds me to live a life of love and joy and gladness and faith.
Recently our worship leader challenged our worship team to memorize a passage of Scripture from 1 Chronicles.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name.
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him. Speak of all His wonders.
Glory in His Holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.
Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.”
1 Chronicles 16:8-11 (NASB)
As I set out to memorize this passage, one line kept jumping out at me. Convicting me.
“Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.”
Yes, this past year has been stressful. Yes, my job has been made much more difficult this year with the addition of virtual learning. Yes, we are unable to make plans and see friends in the ways that we have in the past.
And sadly, when you add all these stressors, I’m realizing how “not glad” I’ve become. I let every little thing bother me. I don’t take the time to sit with my kids, with my husband, and just be glad in their presence.
Instead I’m rushing from one little fire to another, trying to put them out, thinking that if I can just control those few things, everything will be okay. But those little fires are all around me and I’m only one person. I can’t extinguish every emergency. Or everything I deem an emergency.
As I think about gladness this year, another word comes to mind.
Savor.
So I’ve chosen “savor” as my word for 2021. I want to slow down enough so I can have gladness in each little moment of my day. I want to savor the time I have with those I love, those little moments with my children reading books and watching TV and listening to stories. Just sitting next to them instead of rushing off to throw yet another load of laundry in the wash. (Story of my life)
I want to run after Jesus with gladness every day, savoring my time with Him instead of viewing it as a checklist, just one more thing I have to do.
I want to savor my life and the blessings I’ve been given, being glad instead of frustrated.
Savor and Gladness seem to go together, don’t they? And they’re exactly what I need in this season of life that feels so scary and overwhelming and busy.
“Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.”
As I seek the Lord this year, may I remember to savor the little moments as well as the big.
May I be found faithful. May I be found kind. May I be found loving. And may I be found glad.
What is your word for this year?