Sanctification (January Focus)

"Sanctify them by the truth.

Your Word is truth."

~Jesus, John 17:17

When Jesus prayed for us in the last days before His death, He asked God to sanctify us (make us more spiritually mature and Christlike) through the truth of His Word.  God's Word is powerful and transformative.  It sets people free from sin.  It draws people to Jesus and His Kingdom.  It brings real healing and hope and change and victory in this life and beyond!

A verse that stands out to me today:

"But thanks be to God!  He gives us the VICTORY [over sin and death] through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."  -1 Cor. 15:57-58

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.  Another translation says, "be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work."  

I can't say that I feel 100% certain about what my unique labor in the Lord is supposed to be, but I am taking it seriously and praying about that.  For right now, I think the work of the Lord is pressing into the Word of God, taking repentance seriously, and loving people well.

Sanctification is my word for this year, and my mini-goal for January = setting aside 10 focused minutes every day to pray for the people who make me angry.

I wish that wasn't a struggle for me, but it is.  I've started a great book called "Unoffendable."  The author says, "Anger and rest are always at odds."  Feels true from my experience.  We are called to rest in God and get rid of our anger... to be quick to pray over it and let it go before we go to bed.  Vengeance and justice belong to God, and He is protective and strong and trustworthy.  He sees it all, He knows all hearts, and He promises that people will reap what they sow.  What if we just trusted that and rested in it?  Letting go of anger is easier said than done, obviously, especially when someone we love is being repeatedly hurt by another's selfish choices or when it feels like people are getting away with something terribly unfair.  (Which they never do in God's economy.)  Anger also feels better and stronger than sadness/pain, but that's partly because it fosters arrogance and prideful comparison in us rather than humility and forgiveness and genuine trust in God's heart.  So this month, my sanctification focus is to actively practice praying through my anger and giving it to God with faith that He cares about these situations at least as much as I do!!

Another 2023 goal for me is Bible reading, and on that note, here are two new podcasts I'm excited about following this year: one reads through the entire Bible in ESV translation day by day, and the other is Annie F. Downs reading the four gospels every month!  

I'm thinking the verse below is my verse for this year... I'm swimming in gratitude for my friends and family, but still feeling a little emotionally frazzled lately when it comes to my own life purpose, and very aware that I need more and more of God's guidance, advice, and watchful protection.  So I'm grateful for this promise!  God sees me and He is with me and He will continue to guide me as I seek Him.  (And the same is true for you!!) ❤

Happy New Year, friends!!  Praying it's off to a good start for you!