My word for the year, SHINE, came to mind today. It’s October, nearly 2017, and I’d say that up until now my thoughts about that word was that I had failed. Or maybe that I just had so much more to do. “I really need to embrace my word. I really need to get going with that.” And then, real life would happen and I’ve been so incredibly busy with work this year that I would push it aside again. Today, when the word popped into my head, I thought, HEY! I’ve been shining. I need to cut myself a break and give myself credit.
I felt like I’ve been “too busy to shine” and yet, when I really look at it, I’ve been so busy because I AM shining. I have clients coming to me and asking me for my help. They come with the words “You were recommended to me” or “__________ was singing your praises” and I realize that my hard work is paying off. I care deeply about my clients and I want them to do well. Their success matters to me – I know I’m only a small part of it but I take my part seriously.
But just as I was revelling in my achievements, a little voice inside my head started speaking to me. You might call that voice your subconscious; I call Him God. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Oh, I’m not discounting the ways I have been shining this year. I still value them. They still make me incredibly happy. I love to give and I love to help others so the fact that I’m succeeding in that regard through my business thrills me to no end. But when I felt this word for the year come to me back in December, I knew I was being called to do more. And to be honest, I’ve been such a workaholic lately that I’ve had little time for God.
Yikes! Just that phrase, “I’ve had little time for God”, makes me cringe. I’m shining in my business. It’s time for me to shine for God.
But how?
How to Shine For God
- Pray. Pray again. Pray some more. My prayer time has become quite brief and on occasion, pretty much non-existent. Waking up and beginning my prayer time as soon as I do needs to begin again. Built in pauses for prayer (I set a timer on my phone) throughout the day will keep my focus where it should be.
- Immerse yourself in the Word of God. I have no less than 5 Bible studies waiting for me. I’m setting aside half an hour as part of my morning prayer time to work through these.
- Speak words of love and kindness. Can I be honest here? This election in the US is stressing me out. There are so many things I want to say about it and I’m being tempted with words that are less than loving. I want to stay informed but I need to walk away from most of it. I feel called to be a person who demonstrates God’s tolerance in the midst of all of this.
- Spend more time giving. It has been a long time since I did any volunteer work in my community. I feel like I’m wasting some of the gifts that God has given me and it’s time to give back.
- Join a community of other believers. I haven’t been to church in a long time. I need a support system of like-minded people. I need to be part of a support system for others. This will help me fuel up and refill my own reserves so that I can feel equipped and ready to shine for others.
How are you shining in your life?
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