As has been my practice since 2014, I’m traveling through 2021 with a word to guide me. (You can read more about this in my original post on it here).

It’s going to be an interesting trip, one that may take more than a year to navigate well. My word for 2021 is “Hold.”

There is an entire universe of meaning inside that small four-letter word. Webster’s On-line Dictionary has ten different entries for “hold” as a transitive verb, nine as an intransitive verb, and seven as a noun.

We can hold our breath. We can physically hold things in our hands. We can hold one another - we can embrace. And we can do so emotionally, spiritually, and metaphorically: When I got married part of those vows included the words, “to have and to hold.”

We can hold things in our hearts; we can ponder or consider; we can hold a grudge. It can also be an affirmation, as in “We hold these truths to be self-evident.”

We can hold our tongues: refrain from speaking.

We can hold the line; not go any farther, or spend any more.

Hold can even mean omitting something entirely: “Hold the mayo!”

What I thought of first when I got the word “hold” was Paul’s words to the Thessalonians in chapter five of his first letter: “Hold fast to what is good.” That’s where I expected to be this week. Mining the depths of all the “good stuff.”

That isn’t where my word took me.

Hold can also be used to indicate pausing, waiting, or stopping, as in “Hold your horses!” or “Hold the phone!” or being placed “on hold,” and that’s where I’ve been all week.

An avalanche of little things that aren’t working, aren’t happening, or didn’t turn out the way they were supposed to created an endless merry-go-round of phone calls, emails, and online check-ins, which then led to equally endless rounds of waiting for others to respond, make appointments, send information, and deliver mail and packages to their destinations.   

None of it felt good; I suck at waiting and it’s beyond frustrating to not be able to complete any of the things on this week’s to-do list.

One of the few things I could do was continue to explore my word, so I kept digging.

When I looked up “Hold fast to what is good,” I noticed those words are the second half of I Thessalonians 5:21. The first half is equally important—especially for me, this week.

“Test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good].

Hold firmly to that which is good.” I Thess. 5:21 Amplified Bible

“Test everything; hold fast to what is good.” NRSV

“Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle

those who have a word from the Master.

On the other hand, don’t be gullible.

Check out everything and keep only what’s good.” The Message

 

“Test everything.” it reads, and “hold fast to what is good.” That tells me there is good somewhere.

This verse also reminds me I have a choice. Holding onto some things means I have to let other things go. I can’t hold onto everything. But I have the ability and the responsibility to discern and hold onto what’s good, to turn my attention to the most important things, and let the other stuff—the frustration and angst; the things I can’t change or fix—go.

I’m still waiting on a bunch of things. And it’s still frustrating. But while I wait, I’m looking for good - things that are life-giving to me: Beauty; creativity; anything that smacks of hope; small things that bring me joy. This morning it was a cup of steaming, fresh coffee and a chance to connect with you.  

What are you holding onto right now, Dear Reader?

What might you need to let go?

Now look around and notice: What’s good?