I’ve mostly been thinking of my One Word for 2022 as a noun—dawn, the beginning of a new day.

But it serves as a verb too, as in when a potentially important thought occurs to us out of the blue.

For me, this usually happens in the shower, or maybe three-quarters of the way through my morning run when the endorphins are coursing through my veins.

Something dawns on me—an idea, a realization, the missing piece of the puzzle that I’ve been working on in my mind. It could be something practical. Or a few words I might need to share with someone close to me.

Just the other day, when I was running down the trail, something completely random popped into my head. There was absolutely no reason why I should have thought about this right then. And yet, there it was.

It wasn’t an earthshattering thought. But it was another piece of evidence of how God guides and directs our steps in ways that are often hidden from us until much later.

(I don’t know how this works with anyone else. Please share in the comments if you have an insight.)

I get plenty wrong. And yet, when something dawns on me that feels weighty and consequential, usually my knower knows.

Often, it’s a bit of common sense that I had missed before. Other times, it very well could be the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.

What to do about it—if and when to share it, for example—these are the questions that come next. If it involves speaking to someone else, I’m finding that waiting is usually best. I might write it down, think about it, pray for wisdom (and more wisdom).

I let it simmer, sometimes for days. When I finally do share, it might lead to an a-ha moment for someone else. Or perhaps just a “that’s nice, mom.” I don’t know this in advance, of course. And maybe it’s better that way.

Especially these days, with so much discord, chaos and uncertainty swirling in the world, our emotions can easily distort our thoughts. God might feel distant in the middle of the whirlwind, but He is with us. He guides us in paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

He speaks to us—through His Word, mostly, but also through other people, through circumstances, through random thoughts that seemingly appear out of nowhere.

We have to be careful, though, what we listen to, and to whom. We need to check what we hear and read and sense against the truth of scripture. Just because something makes us feel better about what we are experiencing or struggling with doesn’t mean it’s right.

This goes for me, for you, for anyone we might feel led to share our thoughts with. No matter the topic, we do well when we pray, “Send your light and your truth, let them lead me.” (Psalm 43:3)

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with OneWord2021, #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.