Can you believe that it's the 1st of February already? Just incredible. What's even more incredible is that I still haven't taken my Christmas tree down...argh! It's this week's project, haha. Well, the other day I posted on being smaller given that my name means 'small', which to me means humility also. Over the next two weeks I am going to concentrate on memorising my third verse for the year to be more humble, small and quiet. (Yes, I will need your prayers!)
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." - James 4:10 (NIV)
I've learnt over the last few weeks that I do need to humble myself before the Lord and wait on Him for guidance. I read yesterday on not grieving or quenching the Spirit. I seem to have been doing that a bit. I am meditating more on that area for improvement also.
Today is also the day to post my next WordList selection - acceptance - but as the 1st has fallen on a Monday, I will post on that in the next couple of days. Acceptance is most apt for this month, given that forgiveness was last month's word. As with all my words for this year, I will be looking upon them from the perspective of living like Jesus. Of adopting His attributes and living in the Spirit and waiting on God's word for guidance.
The last three weeks have been tumultuous with alot of truths being shared, changes made, sins revealed, hearts opened, relationships shifted and weaknesses - and strengths - revealed. I know God has great things planned for me this year. I know that my exit from my wilderness is approaching.
Dear Heavenly Father, as I learn all these new lessons and continue on in my training for the battle, I pray that I can humble myself - limit myself - so that You can lift me up, so that I can honour You and so that I can share Your love with others. I pray for those who do not understand the path that I am on. I pray that I fully understand that same path. I thank You for the blessing of those near and dear to me. For not only their love for me, but their acceptance of me with all my faults and flaws. Praying always in Jesus' Wonderful Name, Amen.
Amen Father God. Thank You for using Paula to share your word.
ReplyDeleteHi Paula!
ReplyDeleteI have a name story for you. I had heard that our name means humility and small and "little one". I wasn't particularly thrilled with the whole "small/little one" thing. I'm almost 5'9", the oldest child in my family of origin, and was always ultra responsible. Just wasn't connecting.
I was in a season when I was praying that the LORD would help me learn to be "totally dependent on Him." Lots of hard stuff was going on and I wanted to let go of control and learn to trust.
One day I received a bookmark from a friend in the mail. It had my name on it and a spiritual meaning I'd never seen before. It said, "Paula: Dependent on God."
I spent a chunk of that day praying and journaling about that. Here's what I feel God told me: "You have always been my little one. Even when you through you were being strong and taking care of others, I was there, caring for you and teaching you to crawl up into my lap and depend on ME."
After that I LOVED the meaning of my name. I'm Paula. HIS little one. Totally dependent on God.
Which when you think on it is really what humility is--recognizing our need of HIM and depending on Him instead of self. Not that I do it perfectly.
Don't you love our name? And on top of all that, we're named after the apostle Paul, the man who spelled out God's grace. Wahoo!
My Christmas tree is still up too! And yes you're exit from the wilderness is very near my friend. xo
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