What's Your One Word for 2018?

By Eric Hutchinson, Fellowship Bible Church NWA Celebrate Recovery Men's Encourager Coach 


​
It’s hard to simplify life. Narrowing the focus seems impossible. Over this past year, you may have been asked hundreds of times, “How is it going?” Your response was probably something like, “I have been SO busy!” You never hear anyone say, “I’ve had so much time on my hands and I’m looking for something new to do.” That person doesn’t exist.

You have tons of responsibilities, and your schedule is crazy. You feel like you’re sprinting in life. That’s why we need to be intentional about clarifying and simplifying life.  In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul uses the phrase "
one thing" to bring focus and clarity to his calling. In Luke 10:42, Jesus says to Martha, "only one thing is needed." Both Luke 18:22 and Mark 10:21 include His words to the rich man and express a lack of "one thing." John 9:25 also includes this phrase as the blind man tells the Pharisees, "One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" In the same way that Scripture uses these words, we also can put it to use by asking God to reveal a One Word theme for us for the year. I want to challenge you to pick only one word to focus on in 2018.  I struggled with time management in 2017 and so my word is “Time” for 2018.  As Solomon said, “There is a time for everything” (Ecclesiastes chapter 3).  I need to make better use of my time at work and at home.  How about you?  What is your word for 2018?

When your One Word comes to you, it may come in the form of a character trait, a discipline, a person, a spiritual focus, an attribute or a value. The following examples of possible words are not meant to be a particular list from which to choose, but rather a starting point of ideas: love, joy, patience, kindness, rest, prayer, health, train, flexible, devotion, intimacy, discipline, commitment, bold, positive, green, inspire, finish, purity, integrity and strong.

I hope you take some time to think about your one word and pray about it.  May God bless you and keep you in 2018.  I love you friends, have a blessed day!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:   a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,    a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,    a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,    a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,    a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,    a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.    He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet  no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

 --
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8,11



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