2020 Goals and Word for the Year: Abounding
As I was reading through the New Testament this past fall, the word ABOUNDING kept popping out at me. Embarking on the year 2020, we already see a year filled with blessings and several trials looming over us. We are very excited to welcome our first child into our arms later this year. But we are also facing the anticipation of our sweet little foster girl returning home. Already having gone through one of these transitions previously, we know it is probably going to be nothing short of a nightmare for ourselves and our sweet girl.
Contemplating the next months of pregnancy and transitional process for our “K-bug”, I considered changing my word for the year to survive. Haha, not really. While we know the next months may become challenging, we know God is in control of the timing of all these events in our lives.
The word ABOUND means to be in great plenty, or to be very prevalent. Right now I am not seeing a year filled with accomplishing a host of “physical things.” While some days may feel more like survival of the fittest, I can still be abounding in my life. For abounding in the Lord is a matter of outlook and frame of mind than it is necessarily a matter of accomplishing great works. It really is about a heart attitude. I can choose to abound spiritually even while I may be behind on housework, or dealing with the trials of dealing with the foster care system.
Abounding in…
Love
1 Thessalonians 3:12, “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:”
How am I demonstrating the unconditional love of Christ to those around me? Who have I reached out to recently?
Grace
Romans 5:20b, “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”
God extends unlimited grace to me…how well am I extending this grace to others?
Fruit
II Peter 1:5-8, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Are the qualities of faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity being displayed abundantly in my life?
Spiritual Growth
Colossians 2:6-7, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
I Thessalonians 4:1, “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.”
How is my walk with Christ? Is it growing or has it become stagnant?
Closing thoughts…
What are your goals for this year? Hopefully as we set physical goals, Christ is kept the center of our focus!
May you have a year abounding with the love of Christ!
Hope you abound throughout 2020! God bless you in the new year and the transition ahead of you.
Thank you Brittany!
Prayers for your foster baby and congrats on your new arrival.
I love this. I have had some similar realizations in my life of deeper, meaningful fruitfulness even when I’m not able to be very outwardly fruitful. Another year continuing to battle chronic Lyme disease and struggling with that feeling of looming discouragement that you talked about–this is a great mentality to have that will also change expectations for the better. Thanks for sharing!
I am so sorry Olivia about your chronic Lyme! I have also battled chronic health issues. It can be very depressing at times and hard to stay in the WORD. These are the most vital times however, to keep our eyes on Christ. HE is greater than our circumstances! Prayers for your health!