Are you concerned that goal setting might be more overwhelming than helpful? Even the busiest of you, who don’t feel up to goal planning, can set a simple intention for your year.
This simple practice will give you peace and hope for the year to come.
Now, some of you probably have picked your Word for the Year, written your resolutions, and are already on your way to being awesome in 2020.
Yet, others of you are sitting there saying, “Last year, I planned, I set goals – and the whole year blew up in my face. I still haven’t recovered, and I don’t even think it’s worth it this year.”
I hear you!
2019 was brutal for my family. A lot of good things happened, but it was a difficult year. From deep grief to the continual squeezing pressure of “hard,” I struggled. So, unsurprisingly, it’s taken me a while to get into my year. But, even with that struggle I strongly believe that starting a year intentionally is important.
I want to share a few things with you that I do as I transition from year to year. I know it’s mid-January already, but as Laura Casey with Cultivate What Matters reminds anyone who will listen, “There is nothing magical about January 1.”
To set a simple intention for your year, I encourage you to simply consider 3 areas:
- A word for the year
- A passage for the year
- A promise of God for the year
Your goal in setting a simple intention for your year is to look for what God is already doing in your life, then join Him in that.
Let’s get started!
Choose a word for this year.
Last week we discussed 3 Truths That Change How You Set Goals.
You draw near to Jesus as you set goals by remembering:
- Your production does not determine your value – Jesus does.
- Your ambition can keep you from being great – Greatness like Jesus’ comes through service.
- Who you are matters more than what you do – Jesus cares more about transforming your heart than what you accomplish.
These truths form the foundation of our process.
Your flesh may be tempted to pick a word considering how you want to be great this year. No, dear one, “don’t come up with a word in your own strength” (Donna from Fresh Grace for Today). Rather, look for how God wants to transform you and those around you into His likeness. Make your word for the year a proclamation of your desire to cooperate with Him.
Don’t tell God what you intend your year to be.
Ask Him what He’s already doing in your life and how you can join His work!
As you pray through your word for the year:
- Write down any themes you’re sensing.
- Make a short list of words that resonate with both your heart and mind.
- Look up definitions for these words to see which one carries the meaning that you identify with {1}.
- Choose a word in conjunction with the scripture God impresses on your heart.
Cement the simple intention for your year with a passage of scripture.
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17, NKJV).
If you desire to cooperate with the Spirit as He transforms your very being into the image of Jesus, then dwell in specific scriptures. Ruminate on them day and night (Psalm 1). Bathe your soul in their richness, until God’s concepts and words become part of your breath and heart-cry.
As God guides you to a word for the year, choose a passage of scripture upon which you will meditate.
Now, your passage doesn’t have to come after your word. Maybe your word for the year will come from the passage. Either way, consider:
- Where does God desire you to linger in His word this year?
- What passage and corresponding word keep coming to mind?
- Write out the passages the Spirit brings to your mind by hand. Pray through them as you write.
Finally, choose a promise.
You have chosen a word that recognizes God’s work in your life and proclaims your desire to cooperate with Him there. The Spirit has guided you to a corresponding passage of scripture. Now, ask Him to show you a promise for how He will work that word out in your life.
As you look for a promise in scripture:
- Use a concordance or a bible program like Blue Letter Bible to search for your word.
- Make a short list of promises that contain your word for the year.
- Read the context around your verse carefully to make sure that the promise you consider really talks about what you are thinking.
- Find a passage that resonates with what your soul needs.
God is working in you for His good pleasure. His promises move far beyond our simple wishes and desires. As you move through this next year, no matter what trials and difficulties come, remember the promise God has given you. He may not work out His promises the way you envisioned when you chose your word for the year, but He will keep His promise.
Here is how these three things have helped me set a simple intention for my year.
I started choosing a word for the year several years ago.
In 2017, my word was: thrive.
I saw that my life was not where I wanted it to be. A more enjoyable day-to-day existence and harmony around me became my focus. Needless to say, I promptly forgot the word as the year rambled on down strange paths. My husband asked me around November 2017, “Wasn’t your word for the year ‘Thrive’?”
Shame.
I had completely failed to make “thriving” happen in my life or my family’s life. In fact, at the beginning of 2018, I was probably thriving LESS than I was in January 2017.
But, God was at work. I still knew something had to shift in my life and attitude.
So, for 2018, I chose the word: repent.
Deeply desiring to see life change and hope, I focused on bringing my faults and failures to Jesus.
The story of the sinful woman who bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair lodged in my memory. This woman was known for her reputation as a sinner. Wherever she went the stink of her deeds went before her. Yet, Jesus forgave her. And she loved him.
“Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47, CBS)
Jesus gives us a beautiful equation (read Luke 7:36-50 for the whole account).
Great sin + forgiviness = much love
Little sin + forgiveness = less love
Now, understand this carefully. This passage is NOT saying that great love for Jesus requires a lifetime of heinous sins for Him to forgive. No, not at all. The greatness of our love depends on our total and complete recognition of our broken sinfulness. The number or seriousness of your sins do not bring love for Jesus. Your recognition of how despicable ANY sins are and thereby the gloriousness of His forgiveness implants joyful love in your heart.
I can say, after a year of practicing repentance and remembering Luke 7, my appreciation of the Gospel has greatly increased! I sense that my love is different in ways I can’t fully articulate.
Now to 2020. This year, my word is humility.
I was also considering “soft” or “gentle” as my words because I’ve been convicted of the need to try softer rather than forcefully drive through everything in life. Also, my nervous system is in desperate need of care as it’s been on the edge (or over the brink) of burn-out for years.
So, at the end of December, I was reading Philippians 2:
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:1-11, ESV)
As I wrote Philippians 2 over and over, I felt the nudge of the Spirit say, “Humility.” This word perfectly summed up the lessons God’s has been impressing upon my heart.
“Humility” encompasses so much in my life:
- Admitting I’m not super-woman/mom/wife
- I need to care for my body and my nervous-system and my soul.
- I can’t do everything – somethings have to be outsourced.
- I will accept the trials and hardships God brings with trust.
- Seeking to serve my family (especially my children) with joy.
- Considering others above myself – letting the promotion of others come before self-promotion, even (especially) in the blogosphere.
- Recognizing that I cannot force good things to happen. I must wait on the LORD.
- My worth comes from Jesus – not my production/successes/accomplishment.
- I need to become a student of the things God is doing in and around me.
As I continued to consider how a Christ-like humility would impact my life, I remembered God’s promise.
“Therefore it [Proverbs 3:34] says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God… Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4:6-10, ESV)
I walk froward into this next year not knowing what it will look like. My goals may or may not be accomplished. Failure may follow my every step. Yet, God tells me that He gives grace to the humble, and those who choose that posture before Him will be exalted.
I cannot wait to see what He is going to do, both in my life and yours!
Drop me a line below and let me know what your word, passage, and promise are!
Notes:
{1} For more help in choosing a word for the year read Lara Casey’s blog post: 2020 GOAL SETTING, Part 2: How to Choose a Word of the Year.
DONNA MILLER
I LOVE this post Jessica!! ❤ And I love your word Humility. So encouraging and beautiful … ❤
Jessica Jenkins
Thank you, Donna! <3 I so appreciated how God brought similar conclusions about the word for the year to both of us as we wrote. 😀