Acceptance
There is a trend this year, at the dawn of this new year, on social media. The trend is to choose a word for the year.....kind of a theme word to guide the year. I think it is half inspiring and half pushy...so I wasn't eager to embrace the trend. I reluctantly considered it, though. In the moments I considered it, nothing really awesome came to mind. I let it go. Later, in prayer, I did ask God. I said that if He had a word for me, that I would take it more seriously. More or less, I said, Lord, if you have a word for me let me know. If not, that's fine too.
Some time later, maybe days, maybe hours, I'm not sure, I was sitting beside Precious. We had had a rough day and I was feeling spent. I reached for her hand and her strong long slim fingers laced within mine. I leaned in to her, like we do with someone we love very much, and in that moment when our hands connected and our bodies met I heard a word. Acceptance. Acceptance. Not Hope. Not Believe. Not inspire. Not the kind of word that looks cool on a necklace or t-shirt.......Acceptance.
It is just like God to give me a weird word. It's complicated. It's mysterious. It is not obvious......and I think He delights in leading me down these journeys. He loves to challenge me to His complexity, His mystery, His hidden wisdom.......and so I accepted. I accepted the word Acceptance. Not right away.....I first googled the word, read the definition, considered the worst possible scenario to saying yes to acceptance.....and as I studied it, I got a bit curious and even maybe flattered that He would choose Acceptance for me.......so in worship at church on Sunday I said "yes" to Him and "yes" to acceptance.
I will strive to unpack this word and all it could mean for me in 2018 and I will ask the Lord to give me His wisdom and power to understand it. How about you? Are you willing to ask Him for a word, too? I think that just maybe He has a few ideas if you are.
Acceptance: taking or receiving something offered.
Some time later, maybe days, maybe hours, I'm not sure, I was sitting beside Precious. We had had a rough day and I was feeling spent. I reached for her hand and her strong long slim fingers laced within mine. I leaned in to her, like we do with someone we love very much, and in that moment when our hands connected and our bodies met I heard a word. Acceptance. Acceptance. Not Hope. Not Believe. Not inspire. Not the kind of word that looks cool on a necklace or t-shirt.......Acceptance.
It is just like God to give me a weird word. It's complicated. It's mysterious. It is not obvious......and I think He delights in leading me down these journeys. He loves to challenge me to His complexity, His mystery, His hidden wisdom.......and so I accepted. I accepted the word Acceptance. Not right away.....I first googled the word, read the definition, considered the worst possible scenario to saying yes to acceptance.....and as I studied it, I got a bit curious and even maybe flattered that He would choose Acceptance for me.......so in worship at church on Sunday I said "yes" to Him and "yes" to acceptance.
I will strive to unpack this word and all it could mean for me in 2018 and I will ask the Lord to give me His wisdom and power to understand it. How about you? Are you willing to ask Him for a word, too? I think that just maybe He has a few ideas if you are.
Acceptance: taking or receiving something offered.
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