Redeemed. Last December I picked this word to focus on for 2013. Little did I know one little innocent word would have such an impact in my life. Last year around this time Philippians 1:19 jumped off the page of my Bible and grabbed me...
"For I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
God was pressing on my heart that no matter what happens in life...however terrible it may be...He could redeem it. Take the ugly and make it beautiful. Take the broken and make it whole. Take that which was painful and make it praiseworthy. Little did I know that He would play all that out in my life in 2013.
I went through some terribly painful events this year. Occurrences that made me question my trust in others. Hurtful words that made me want to run to the hills never to see a human being again. Actions that befuddled me. God stripping me down to nothing. Yet, as I come to the end of 2013 I can honestly say "what has happened to me turned out for my deliverance."
I am amazed at God. How He could take the painful and make it into something so incredibly beautiful. How He could take heartache and make a heart soar. It just doesn't make sense. I lived it. Still, it doesn't compute. He has redeemed that which was hard and made it into something glorious.
God is not out to just redeem us in order that we have salvation. It runs deeper. He is out to redeem any circumstance in our lives. No matter what is thrown at us we can live unafraid. Because our God, our great Kinsman-Redeemer will set all things right.
Through our circumstances He is out to redeem who we are. Make us more like Jesus and less like ourselves. The goal is to redeem us to the point of no recognition...so that all we and others see is Christ. God has done that for me this year. Released me from some terrible anxieties I have struggled with. Brought me out of who I am so that I can be more like Him. I still have a long ways to go {don't we all?}, yet He is moving me along slowly, but surely.
On to 2014. I am scared to even pick a word to focus on. It may play a huge role in my life in the coming year, but I have the confidence that whatever happens
He Redeems.
To learn more about the Word of the Year concept, click here.
A look back on this past year and His redemption...
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