One Word 2016

I'm a little late coming up with my One Word for 2016, but I suppose that it's better late than never. I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions, but I wanted to choose a word to focus on throughout the year. Just one word that I can reflect on each day that sums up how I want to live my life for the next 365 days (and longer). (If you aren't familiar with the #oneword365 movement, you can find out more and join HERE.)

It didn't take long for me to settle on a word, the perfect word for 2016. As I reflected on my life, took a long, hard look at 2015,  it was more than obvious what word would be appropriate for me:

Overcome. OVERCOME. OVERCOME! OVERCOME!!!  I am so ready to overcome my struggles, some that I've been wrestling with for a very, very long time. We all have things in our lives that set us back, things that cause us to stumble over and over. These are the thorns in our flesh, the ever-present obstacles that trip us up repeatedly. You let your guard down for a moment, and there they are there to take you out.

I realized after looking back on 2015, that I've hit a wall. I've let my struggles control me, OWN me. And I'm so exhausted and sick of it! I'm tired of the constant tug-of-war! I know I'm being vague about exactly what that is for me, but I'll get into that specifically at a later date. But, now that I've hit a wall, I'm not just going to sit there and stare at it. I'm ready to find a way over it, around it, under it, or through it. I want to overcome.

What does it mean to be an overcomer?

"Overcomers are followers of Christ who successfully resist the power and temptation of the world’s system. An overcomer is not sinless, but holds fast to faith in Christ until the end. He does not turn away when times get difficult or become an apostate. Overcoming requires complete dependence upon God for direction, purpose, fulfillment, and strength to follow His plan for our lives (Proverbs 3:5–6; 2 Corinthians 12:9).

The Greek word most often translated “overcomer” stems from the word nike which, according to Strong’s Concordance, means “to carry off the victory. The verb implies a battle.” The Bible teaches Christians to recognize that the world is a battleground, not a playground. God does not leave us defenseless. Ephesians 6:11–17 describes the armor of the Lord available to all believers. Scattered throughout this narrative is the admonition to “stand firm.” " Source

I know that being an overcomer is not going to be easy. It involves a fight, an all-out battle. It takes perseverance when times get tough. It takes consistency and steadfastness. It takes grit, and gumption. And it takes a complete reliance on the Lord for strength and guidance. It's not a one and done thing. It's a life-long thing.

I know that what I need to overcome and what you may need to overcome are probably totally different things, but I do hope that for you and me that 2016 is a year of overcoming!