I started asking God for a word for the year in 2013. I didn’t come up with this idea. It was something I read in a blog I subscribed to, but I wanted “what she was having” and didn’t want to be left out. If God was handing out specific, personal words to people, I wanted to be included. And I’m so glad I started asking!
Always in the past my words have been things like moderation/balance, grace, peace, joy, hope, victory, blessings … and this year my word was whisper! I thought that was a strange word … but after my two words last year of delight and victory, I’m starting to realize it makes perfect sense.
Every word God has given me has “piggybacked” on previous words. I didn’t know it at the time, but I couldn’t learn about peace without first learning how to hope. I couldn’t learn about joy until after experiencing peace. I couldn’t learn about hope or peace without first learning the meaning behind grace … and I couldn’t take the time to learn any of those life practices without first learning how to have balance in my life.
Last year God gave me the word delight. I thought I was to learn how to delight in Him … but I also learned how He takes delight in me! And it was only after I learned that important truth that I started to see victory in areas of my life I have struggled with for over four decades!
When I was given the word whisper, I immediately fell in love with it, and assumed it meant I needed to work more on listening to my kids, whispering advice during this stage in their lives instead of trying to control them … and I think part of that is true.
However, I’m equally as excited about the other end of that word … and that is learning to hear and recognize God’s whispers to me! Learning to hear the voice of God is something that takes practice. Sometimes I know I hear Him loud and clear. Other times I think I hear Him clearly … but realize maybe I don’t. And still other times I miss the mark despite my best intentions.
God speaks in a variety of ways but He tells us over and over again in His word that while He is in the wind and the thunder and the noise, He speaks in the quiet whispers that follow.
I want more of that. I’m excited about carving out more time to sit and listen for God’s whispers. I’m looking forward to tuning into His quiet frequencies and being certain when I hear Him so I never speak falsely (even if it’s with good intentions).
I’m sure God is going to show me many other amazing aspects of this wonderful word.
And a little bonus for those who enjoy Christian fiction: God has given me a full story that I will be writing in 2020 about a woman named … Whysper. Her story has been bursting, ready to be put on paper. And I can’t wait to introduce you to her and let you know why her name is so significant.
© Cheri Swalwell 2020