We are closing out 2023 and it is hard to believe that in just a couple of weeks we will be in a brand new year! This past year has certainly had its ups and downs, as I’m sure it has for most of you, but overall, Wow! I sat down with God to reflect on this past year and map out with Him all of the movement that has happened in 2023. As I began to see on paper, starting in January all the growth moments that I personally have experienced, all throughout the year, I was able to see more clearly the movement of God stretching and growing me.
“The Bible speaks frequently about time and uses several words in both Greek and Hebrew for time. For example, the Greek word Kairos refers to divine time. It is an event that invades ordinary time and, in so doing, brings eternity into time. In Hebrew, the word moed refers to setting or appointing a particular time, like a festival or holiday” (Governing Time, p.123, Dr. Ogbonnaya). Both of these words bring rich meaning to the English word time. We often are so busy running to the next moment that we aren’t actively engaging in partnering with God, which He desires in our daily life. As you take the time to reflect, you will notice things that in the busyness of the moment, perhaps you missed a divine timing of God. The more I partner with God, the less I believe that “I just happened to run into someone at Walmart that I haven’t seen in a while.” I’m beginning to practice pausing and asking God what His heart is for that person, and what is my role? Usually, there is a prayer need that God wants me to support. At other times, He may want me to bless someone with just an encouraging word or an act of service. This is how we develop a Kingdom mindset and become more spiritually discerning of God’s movement and our roles with Him.
The huge growth moments that were highlighted to me as I mapped out my year has been the May conference, Beyond the Veil, that I hosted. We had an incredible time of catching God’s vision and heart for our community. And the most recent event, the revival in Seymour, blessed me with the opportunity to lead others in worship. There have definitely been rich moments of encountering God and the Kingdom in ways I never have before, and I’m forever changed. What about you? I want to challenge you to carve out some quiet time to grab a pen and paper or perhaps your computer and recognize those Kairos moments with God weaving Kingdom life with yours and helping you shift into a deeper flow of union and partnership with Him. I think you will be surprised to see His intentional movement as He is working to bring blessings and good in your life.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose, (Romans 8:28).
Steps in Pursuit
- Find some time to map out the movement of God over the past 12 months.
- Spend some time thanking God through worship, for all those intentional moments.
- Practice pausing and asking God what He is doing in a moment and what your role may be. You will be amazed at how this grows your spiritual discernment.
I’m confident that putting this exercise into practice will be an encouragement to you, as you close out 2023. Blessings over all that God has in store for you in the year ahead!
Continuing the Pursuit,
Denise
