Now that we have a biblical understanding of God’s intention for His Word and the power of our own words through the blog, Words Matter – A Look at God’s Intentions for Your Words and His, let’s consider how to choose your word for the new year.
When you consider your word for next year, it can be one word or a phrase of two or three words. We are really talking about your personal mission statement for a year. It could be a spiritual word, a very practical word about something that you are facing, or a word to honor God.
Here are six steps to help you choose a word for the new year.
- Your word or phrase should help you clarify your priorities.
If your word for next year is success, your priorities should be around being successful. When you make decisions, the idea is you are moving towards success. Everything you do is not going to be wrapped around that one word, but that one word certainly is important. You can come back to that word throughout the year, and it can help you set your priorities.
- Choose one word that creates a picture of the future.
Marriages, partnerships and teams will either share a vision or experience division based upon the picture they have of the future. If you are in a relationship that does not share the same picture of the future, there is going to be tension. But if you share that picture, there’s energy in that. So, choose a word that will create a picture of your future. Imagine what that looks like.
- Pick a word that motivates you to pursue that goal.
Words like spend or save are motivational words. If you say I want to be a saver, because your goal is to be debt free, and this is the year that I’m going to be saving, then that’s going to motivate you to that direction.
- This word will inform your daily decisions.
Life is full of decisions and the hours we spend managing those decisions. Herb Kelleher, the founder of Southwest Airlines, passed away earlier this year. When he started Southwest Airlines, he was very adamant about having two words that drove all of their decisions. He simplified the 10 or 15 words in a mission statement that many of us won’t remember, to just two words: “low fare.” For Southwest Airlines, when employees have to make decisions, it is all about low fare.
- Your word should result in glory to God.
Will the word you pick result in God receiving glory for whatever you pursue and are others benefiting? That’s how I look at it. Intentional Living is about doing the next right one thing that brings glory to God and benefits yourself and others in the process.
- Make sure it’s a word that touches your heart.
The word must matter to you. As Christians, it could be easy for us just to pick a spiritual word because we think we are supposed to have a spiritual word. But it has to be something that is meaningful to you. A word that will touch your life.
Once you choose your word, keep it before you. Place it in the window, your bathroom mirror, or someplace where you see it and are frequently reminded of your word for next year.
