For eleven years I have prayed for God to give me One Word to describe my upcoming New Year that would help me keep my focus as the days of the year whizzed by. Some years it was a phrase while other years I neglected the notion mid-way through January. But this year, I wanted to desperately hear a word from The Father that would describe what this year would possibly hold.
I heard the word MORE.
There is MORE. We preach this to ourselves when things seem glim. We declare this over our families when hardship comes, bank accounts run dry and life becomes too hard to bear. There must be MORE to life. But yet we often find ourselves in this paradox between declaring what we know to be true and the reality of our situation that causes us to truthfully say…
Is there really more?
I know I have. I have declared bold prayers and words over my family all to hit a giant brick wall of reality that makes me crumble into a pit of self-doubt and frustration. Knowing He is God of all Truth and He can do whatever it is that pleases Him, but will He do it for me.
Will He give me More?
I read about Paul the other day. (Learn why I read the Bible here) The guy in the Bible who was shipped wreck, stoned, imprisoned and persecuted beyond what I have ever known. I read about his sufferings and how he took joy in them and relished in the Lord’s goodness throughout every trial and burden he faced.
But yet Paul declares that he is more.
I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
2 Corinthians 11:23
2019 was a rough year for our family. When one obstacle would subside, it seemed as the other one was riding on its coat tail. But yet there was a lot of goodness mixed in. Bible Studies began, healings took place, memories were made and provision came in the uniqueness of ways. God was amidst the hardship.
So naturally, when I began to scribe down my prayers for 2020, I pondered the word MORE. I jotted down areas where I wanted to see God more. More provision, More health, More miracles, More, More, More. As I wrote it occurred to me that more is not found in a circumstance. More isn’t found in an answered prayer.
More is found in a Person.
Paul understood this as he declared I am more. Paul could wholeheartedly say, I am more because He knew God was More. More than enough. More than the hardship he faced… more than the pain he experienced… more than the schemes of the enemy.
God is More. Everything else is less.
And because Paul knew and understood that, he could boast in his sufferings that showed others his weaknesses. Therefore, I will too.
2020, as I made my list of More, I centered my prayers on the One who embodies MORE. Also beside each More, I listed a Less. Because I will never be able to embrace the more that God has for me unless I am willing to say yes to less. In order for God to use me for more, I must be willing to let go of some things.
Because more equals less.
One of the greatest weaknesses of humanity is we cannot do it all. We must be willing to admit that as we succeed in some areas, other areas may take a back seat. We must be willing to surrender things that waste our time, pull our energy and take away from what God is trying to do. Also, we must be willing to fail. Because like Paul, it is often through our failure that we find our greatest Victory.
And that is the MORE that I crave. More of Him, Less of Me.
More equals less.
