Yahweh Tsidkenu, The God of My Righteousness
At the beginning of 2022, I was in a small group where they picked not only a verse for the year but also a name of God. I usually pick a word for the year, but I did not want to pick one for this year; however, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to focus on living a quiet life and looking at areas where I was not obediently following Him.
In our walk with God, we can get caught up in the big things like sharing the gospel, seeing our loved ones saved, getting baptized, going to church, and doing all the “big and mighty” work for God. But the longer I walk with God, I realize how those big things come from small steps of obedience, and they come from the seeds of faith that have been planted and have grown over the weeks, months, and years.
So when I chose Yahweh Tsidkenu as the name of God for the year 2022, I felt like it lined up with what the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart. In 2021 I had big prayers for God - I needed a miracle. It was a year where I realized somehow I drifted away from my faith - something I swore would never happen. But here I was at the beginning of 2022, thinking I needed to get back to the basics and remember where my righteousness comes from.
I needed to remember why I went to church, tithed, and read my Bible every day. Not because those things make me righteous, but because I have been made righteous through Jesus. This reminder helps me not only look at the giant in front of me and realize how mighty God is, but it also allows me to enjoy my life and trust God with those very dark moments when I have no idea how anything will turn out.
In our faith, living a simple life responds to God, our righteousness. Our works earn us nothing, and when we decide to live the quiet life of faithfully serving, praying, tithing, and worshiping, we do these things because HE is faithful and worthy. In 2021 I needed to change my motive, and God did that for me, and he changed my heart - because He is faithful.
I still remember the awakening; it wasn’t what I thought it would be. Instead of joy, there was deep regret. Repentance replaced pride, bitterness, and resentment. It was not a fun time in my life. I was not obeying God, and I needed to get back to the basics.
Almost one year later and our life has changed for the better. It’s different, and I’ve worked with the Holy Spirit by obeying the promptings in my heart. Now it’s not about earning my righteousness; it’s about surrendering to the power of God in my life. He is the only One who has made me righteous and I am grateful for the awakening so I can be sanctified through the quiet life of obedience.
Yahweh Tsidkenu, our obedience, and surrender are what holiness is made of in this world. At times holiness can seem impossible, but I just keep reminding myself of these things:
• Through God, all things are possible.
• His mercies are new every morning.
After going through one of the most challenging years of my faith, I would like to encourage anyone who is struggling that it’s never too late to turn things around. God is your Righteousness - Yahweh Tsidkenu - you truly just need to turn back towards Him. Now you will have the freedom to trust Him, pray to Him, serve Him, and worship Him for the simple reason that you love Him and He is worthy.
Prayer of A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) to Yahweh Tsidkenu, The God of My Righteousness
Adoration ~ Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, you are so faithful and worthy to be praised. We cannot be righteous without You in our life or the blood of Jesus covering us.
Confession ~ Lord, please forgive us for turning our back on you and going our way. Please forgive our prideful heart that has thought we were right and You were wrong.
Thanksgiving ~ Thank you for the beauty of Your name - Yahweh Tsidkenu. We are so grateful that you do not require us to be righteous, perfect, or holy on our own. Thank you for removing that burden from our life.
Supplication ~ Lord, help us see where we are clinging to self-justification instead of being justified through Christ. Show us where we are being disobedient to You, and Holy Spirit, we ask that You give us the strength and the provision to follow your promptings and live the life You would have for us.
We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Meet Guest Blogger Heather Bixler
Heather is an author, Paid Media Specialist, author coach, wife, and mom to three. One of her greatest joys in this life is helping authors birth their books through self-publishing. She loves helping Spirit-filled writers unveil the gift of writing that God has given them. Every day Heather is challenged to go lower and deeper still in her relationship with The Holy Spirit, and she is genuinely grateful for it all! You can learn more about Heather through her books on Amazon, her blog, or her website for authors and writers, Harvest Writers.
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About Patrice
Championing women to live authentically and pursue God passionately, Patrice Burrell loves pointing others to the grace of God, rooted in the truth of scripture. Patrice is an author, life coach, and worship leader who loves practicing the presence of God in practical ways through a lifestyle anchored in spiritual disciplines. As a Bible teacher and preacher, she exhorts women to remember that their true identity is found in Christ, not culture. When not serving at her local church with the small groups and singles' ministries, Patrice enjoys visiting local Orlando attractions, going to the beach, and finding unique ways to explore her writing creativity. You can connect with Patrice on her blog, Warrior Woman Blog, on social media in her Facebook community, Warrior Women, and @patriceburrellministries on Facebook and Instagram.
