I love reading about the words that other people choose to guide them through each year. I also enjoy the process of choosing a word for myself (although it might be more accurate to say that, inevitably, the words choose me).

For some reason, though, actually writing about my new word for 2020 has been a challenge. It’s been on my to-do list for weeks, but other things keep crowding it out.

While this might be an indication that I need to ditch my word and find another one, I think it’s more like a real-time illustration of the very word I’ve chosen.

As is my custom, I started pondering my new word in October sometime. Instead of making a list of potential One Words, I typically just ask God to direct my thoughts and then see what comes to mind.

There’s no formula; I usually just know.

This time was a little different, though, because the first word that landed in my heart was more like a stepping stone. A rather bleak stepping stone, honestly.

Empty. 

When this word occurred to me, I wanted to push it away. While it’s arguably relevant to a few parts of my life these days, it didn’t seem like the kind of word I’d want hanging around for an entire year—especially not this particular year.

Before I had a chance to get too discouraged, however, another word came to mind.

The opposite of empty.

Full.

This word conjures up a variety of scenarios, doesn’t it? A full moon, for example. A garden in full bloom, a full stomach or a full plate (literal or rhetorical). We can have our arms full, our quivers full or our cups full (to some degree or another, depending on where we fall on the pessimist/optimist scale).

The scriptures speak of God being full of compassion, grace and truth, and of the earth being full of His glory and unfailing love. (Psalm 116:5, John 1:14, Isaiah 6:3, Psalm 33:5) In stark contrast to God’s beautiful character, the Bible also mentions a variety of sinful elements our human mouths can be full of, including boasting, cursing, bitterness, deadly poison, lies and threats. (Psalm 94:4, Romans 3:14, James 3:8, Psalm 10:7)

Since Matthew 12:34 tells us that “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of,” it should be our goal each and every year to keep tabs on our hearts to ensure that our conversation will “always be full of grace” and “seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6)

As I consider the word full in relation to my life in 2020, though, the one verse that keeps coming to mind is John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

I know there’s no way to predict what that’s going to look like in the coming months. The abundant nature of the life that Jesus promises isn’t dependent on our circumstances; it’s dependent on His presence.

I’m hopeful, however.

I’m hopeful that the One who began a good work in us through the sad and hard events of 2019 will continue it this year. (Philippians 1:6) And that whatever “life to the full” entails for us—individually and collectively—we will come through on the other side of 2020 with fresh stories to tell of God’s faithfulness, comfort and compassion.

♥ Lois

Note: I’m a little late to the One Word party, but if you’ve chosen a word for 2020, I’d love for you to share it in the comments (with a link too, if you’ve written about it).

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash