I got “rhythm”
For several years, I’ve prayerfully chosen a word of the year. Some have focused on what I felt God leading me to do—like the word “emerge” for the year I heard a call to get serious about writing and blogging. Last year’s word was “intentional,” and it guided me to a year of greater presence.
As 2021 was drawing to a close, I still only had a vague word floating in my head, but I couldn’t tell if it was just my mind’s creation. I would pray about my word for 2022 and the only response was “rhythm.”
Rhythm? That doesn’t sound like a holy enough word, I’d think, as friends and leaders shared words like “priority,” “faith,” and “prayerful.”
Still, I heard “rhythm.”
So, several days in to 2022, I realized this was my word, and I started thinking about how to share it with you—what insightful things to share. Before long, January was flying by, and I still hadn’t done this traditional first of the year post. It must be too late. I missed the chance.
As I prayed about this post, I heard the same: “rhythm.” And I realized, this is an important point of the word I’d been given. The world wants to hurry us, to demand we go at its pace, and to convince us we’ve already missed the mark because we didn’t keep up with its rigorous demands.
It screams at us: No goals for this year yet? It’s January 22! You’re too late! You must be a failure!
That condemnation is from the enemy. Stress and anxiety are weapons he deploys against us.
God calls us to a different rhythm: to rest, to trust, to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us.
In this new year, let’s trade the rapid “ratta tat tat” of the world’s demands for the gentle rhythm that aligns our soul with our Savior.
Dance to rhythms of praise and prayer and purpose. Rhythms of singing and service rooted in seeking after Him.
Listen to this paraphrase of Matthew 11:28-30 from The Message::
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
That’s Jesus talking to us! He holds us and loves us and will take care of us. We can trust the rhythms of grace He sets for us. This year, let’s walk and dance and live according to this holy rhythm.
