The Power of One Word

My friend, Nicole, recently introduced me to idea of selecting one word for the year, a word that describes what you believe the Lord wants to develop in you. However, the one word isn’t one that you choose; God chooses it for you! You have to wait for Him to reveal it your word to you.

When Nicole first told me about her One Word experiences, I was intrigued. Each year, she devotes the month of January to seeking God’s direction for her word. This past month, God kept bringing “trust” to her mind, which is her 2011 word. She believes God wants to take her to a new level of faith in Him this year. Past words for her have been embrace, joy, and promise. And every year the Lord has confirmed her word in ways she could never have imagined!

Today is February 1, and I still don’t know what my word is. In four days, I will meet with a small group of ladies at Nicole’s house, and we will all share our words for the year and how God led us to them. Even though I’m still waiting for my word, I’m not in a panic. Nicole has assured me that some of her friends have received their words at the last minute, such as on January 31st while driving to the One Word dinner! I believe the Lord will reveal my word to me over the next few days as I continue to trust that He will provide.

To give you insight into the whole process of finding your word, Nicole has graciously agreed to share an excerpt from her 2008 journal:

Embrace. This is my word for the year. The two Scriptures that the Lord has given me are in Matthew 16 and Luke 15. I am amazed that the Lord has communicated so clearly the fact that this HAS to be my word. Today I used The Message paraphrase for my quiet time studies and in both passages, the word “embrace” was used. I had thought days ago that this was to be my word from the beginning, but I could not “find” it in Scripture when I “looked.”

The underlying theme is that when I am able to embrace God and what he has for me and my life, I will become the woman He has called me to be. That has been my heart’s cry for the last few months. Lead me, Lord! Show me what You want me to do! I sense He is saying:

1) Embrace Me.
2) Embrace this season of life.
3) Embrace who I have made you to be.

In doing these three things this year, I will step into my purpose and be more fully prepared to meet my future, whatever that may be. I am excited to see how God will speak to me and reveal his plan for my life.

How to Discover Your One Word

Maybe you’re interested in the One Word concept and would like to give it a try. However, you still have questions about how to proceed. Let me give you some practical steps that will help you discover your word:

1. Prepare your heart to receive your word.

Spend time in prayer and fasting. Through fasting, God will increase and heighten your reliance upon Him for the word. He will speak specifically and clearly into your heart. At a minimum, try to get away for one full day and get alone with the Lord. God will speak when you put yourself into a posture to hear from Him.

2. Ask God to reveal your word.

Ask God to drop the word into your heart, mind, and soul. The word can be a fruit of the Spirit (kindness, faithfulness), attribute of God (holiness, mercy), biblical principle (harvest, stewardship), spiritual focus (devotion, intimacy, passion), character trait (commitment, perseverance), values (integrity, teamwork) or characteristic of Christ (serving, humility). This is not meant to be list from which to choose, but rather a starting point to get you thinking and to help you as you listen for the Lord's prompting.

3. Do not seek counsel from others.

Seeking advice from godly counsel regarding issues or problems is essential, but I would highly recommend not asking for one-word ideas from friends, spouses, or accountability partners. Everyone will give you an opinion, but you aren't seeking their opinions. You're not even seeking your own opinion. You're seeking God's opinion.

4. Look for confirmation of your word.

God will often show you through various avenues what your word is – sermons, a song on the radio, conversations, etc. Keep your eyes and ears open, and expect God to make your one word undeniably clear. It is essential however to know that your word is confirmed in THE WORD. Read the Bible daily. Let the Word of God be your highest point of affirmation.

4. Share your word.

Once you have your word, you can talk about it and share it with your best friend, husband or wife, accountability partner, or pastor. Prayerfully consider with whom you need to share your word. Ask them to pray for you and to hold you accountable so that God can do His work in you.

5. Live out your word.

Trust God to do the work that He wants to do in you. Keep a journal and write down the insights and lessons throughout the year. Evaluate your commitment on a regular basis, and make sure that you pray about what God wants you to learn.

God is going to do great things in my life through this powerful exercise. I just know it. My heart’s desire is the same as Nicole’s – to be all that God has created me to be. I’m already thanking Him for using the power of One Word to shape me into that woman, a woman who fears Him and is a vessel to be used for His glory.

Note: If you have additonal questions about One Word, feel free to email me. Or, if you have a testimony about your own One Word experience, please share it as an encouragement to others!