Bedeviled, human, your plight, in waking, is to choose from the words that even now sleep on your tongue, and to know that tangled among them and terribly new is the sentence that could change your life. ~ excerpt from the poem, The Meadow, Marie Howe
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and lightning bug. ~ Mark Twain
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ~ Proverbs 16:24
Words – gracious words, guiding words, inspiring words - come at us all the time. Sometimes we’re ready for them and sometimes we’re not. We could be sitting or walking, in an airplane or a lecture hall, on a walk or drinking coffee with a friend. But for me the feeling is always the same – a deep “yes” that bubbles out of me, with physical weight, when the right word appears. The word that sleeps on my tongue, which Marie Howe revels in, however, is not often awakened by my own effort. It’s nudged to wakefulness by others, by Scripture, and by the Holy Spirit.
I recently became aware of a new trend which illustrates all of this – the word of the year. I’m not talking about the annual practice of the Oxford English Dictionary to highlight a particular word that has captured the cultural moment of English speakers around the world. No, I’m referring to a more personal practice of discernment when people pray and think about a guiding word for the coming year – to spark and encourage authentic connections with God, others, and themselves.
These are the kinds of words praised by the Wisdom Teachers of Scripture, the Psalmists, and the writer of Ephesians, which ground us, captivate us, guide us, and inspire ourselves and others to a deeper life of faith.
Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. ~ Ecclesiastes 10:12
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ~ Proverbs 16:24
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. ~ Psalm 19:14
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ~ Ephesians 4:29
In the spirit of these verses and with the invitation of God’s Spirit, I would like to invite you for this new year to consider and pray about what might be your “gracious,” “pleasing,” “building” and guiding word for the year. Here is a helpful step-by-step guide to aid you in your meditation.[1]
But before your begin, I would like to invite you to center your mind and heart with the song:
Word of God Speak by MercyMe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqsnGE3_dsg
Step 1 – Think About Your Past Year
When thinking about your guiding word for the next year, start with reflecting on the past year! What challenges did you face? What did you learn? What mistakes did you make and what did you accomplish?
Is there a particular word that comes to mind that sums up what was missing?
Step 2 – Think About What’s Coming in the Year Ahead
Your new guiding word should relate to the things that are coming ahead! What challenges are down the road? What are you looking forward to? How would you like to grow as a person?
When you think about the coming year, how or what do you want to see change?
Step 3 – Write Down Words That Come to Mind
At this point, you probably have a lot of words that are spinning around in your head. Write them all down! You may find that some of them are actually the same thing but said differently.
Step 4 – Reflect on Scripture
Now it is time to dive into Scripture! Using a Bible app, concordance, or search engine, locate and reflect on verses that have to do with the things you listed in the previous step. Which verse or verses stand out as something you need to focus on in the coming year? How does this verse illustrate your word for the year?
There’s no need to rush this process. Prayerfully take your time. Ask God for guidance and don’t hesitate to sit in silence awaiting a word to awaken. Once you’ve found your word – write it down, place it where you can see it regularly, and invite God to use it to shape and grow you in more Christlike ways. And, if it’s not too personal, do one more thing for me. Tell someone about your word and invite them to share theirs. If they don’t have one, share this process with them and let them discern for themselves what God might have in store for them this coming year.
I’m excited for all of you, friends – May the gracious, guiding, and inspiring word that lies sleeping on your tongue awaken!
With love,
Pastor Jon
[1] Jon Gordon, Jimmy Page, & Dan Britton, One Word That Will Change Your Life (New Jersey: Wiley & Sons, 2014)
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