2021: The Year of Diligence

Over the years, I’ve developed a tradition of fasting to bring in the new year. For 2021, I did a 21-day Daniel Fast, praying that I’d get a word from God to carry me through the year. On January 21, seventeen days into my fast, God gave me the word “diligence”.

Diligence: Constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken

This word came after months of praying scriptures over my life (and the life of others) to be steadfast, persistent, and a servant of Christ. With this revelation, I recorded a voice memo to hold myself accountable for the year:

“Diligence is working with constant effort; not giving up; accomplishing what is undertaken, which is being a servant and being a disciple in the body of Christ. 2021 is the year of seeing the revival through to the end; the year of making my calling and election sure, working heartily unto God, and doing everything unto God. This is the year of diligence. I want 2021 to be a year of doing everything for the glory of God. Take faithfulness and run with it. I want my life to be evidence for the glory of God. I’m declaring that I will reap what I sow. May God be pleased with me and say well done.”

It is with this heart posture that I took on the year. I was full of fire and optimism, fully determined to persist, no matter what came my way, and fully insistent on abiding in Christ through it all. And 2021, with all of its highs and lows, gave me no choice but to be diligent.

January brought the loss of my grandmother, after a well-fought battle with dementia and old age. February ushered in a winter storm and a difficult bout of seasonal depression. March, April and May came with continuous spiritual warfare in my home. June, July and August brought the loss of family friend, after family friend, after family friend. September gave the heartbreaking loss of my older brother. October brought grief. November gave more spiritual warfare. December ushered in the weight of grief-stricken memories.

In all of this devastation and loss, I was tempted to give up. To quit loving my family, to quit serving my friends, to quit praying and fasting, to quit leading. And yet, God, in all His loving-kindness and tender mercy, ministered to my spirit. Stand firm. Persevere. Work unto the Lord.

Slowly but surely, my diligence could not be measured. I could not count how many times I wanted to give up. I could not track how many injustices I persisted through. I could not number how many times I wanted to fall, but chose to stand firm.

Through every trial and tribulation, my diligence was no longer about external validation, but internal resilience.

I had to press, even if no one saw. I had to fast, pray, and war, even if no one knew. I had to be unmovable because there would be no shift without my diligence. In a year of trial, I developed character, not simply because life made it so, but because I understood God’s character. As I experienced weakness, God showed me His strength. When I felt lost, God showed me His guidance. When I forgot who I was, God reminded me. When I felt like I was losing every battle, God showed me His victory.

I declared 2021 to be a year of diligence, and I most certainly reaped what I sowed. I know that my diligence was not in vain, for “anyone who believes in [the Lord] will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). Be resolved knowing that when you boldly place your trust in the Lord, He, who is a faithful promise keeper, will deliver on His Word and show you His victory.