I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. It’s hard to believe we’re approaching the end of another year. The year 2020 is almost here. Time keeps flying by. Where did 2019 go? My parents and grandparents were right in saying the older we get, the faster time flies. That’s why I believe it’s so important to intentionally make time at the end of each year to reflect on what happened and look forward to grow and change in the new year. I know I don’t make enough time in my life to pause and reflect. It seems like I’m always on the go. So, I’d like to share what I do at the end of each year when I reflect on the last year and look ahead to the new year.
Reflect
Initially, I spend time looking through my journal entries from the year. As I flip through my journal, I consider questions like:
-What were the most impactful events that happened this year? Were they positive or negative? Why?
-What was God teaching me?
-What were my prayers? How did God answer them?
-What am I thankful for?
-How did I experience God’s love, joy, and peace in this last year?
-What were my biggest struggles this year? Why?
There are many more questions I could list here, but these are usually what I tend to focus on. If you don’t already keep a journal, I encourage you to do so. I recommend at least keeping a journal of your prayers. It is so encouraging to look back at old prayers and see how God has answered them.
This reflection time is largely spent in prayer. I thank God for His love and faithfulness. He is the only reason I make it through another year. He leads and guides me through the good, the bad, and the ugly. He’s the only One who knows what will draw me closer to Him. This time is all about God and the work He’s doing in my life. His plan is perfect. And He wants us to be a part of it.
During this reflection time, I encourage you to focus on being thankful. Whether this last year was a struggle or not, there’s always something to be thankful for. Even if all you can think of is having air to breathe each day. God gives us so much to be thankful for, including the difficult things in life. There’s no reason to take this time to drown in self-pity or regret. I’m not telling you to ignore anything hard in this last year and pretend like everything is fine. I’m simply saying to embrace a heart of gratitude as you look back. Ask God to show you what to be thankful for. And talk to Him about the difficult things that happened in the last year.
Reflecting on the past prepares us for what’s ahead. God allows us to go through different situations, good and bad, each year for very specific reasons. He has a purpose for everything. It’s important for us to ask for His help in seeing and understanding the purpose. He is faithful in answering.
Look Ahead
After reflecting on the concluding year, I look ahead by asking myself another set of questions. Here are some to consider:
-What areas of my life need to change in order to get more of God?
-What spiritual discipline do I want to grow in this new year?
-How can I improve my prayer life?
-How can I steward my time better? For God? For my family? For the church? For others?
-How can I serve others more in this next year?
-How can I apply what I learned in the last year to help in this new year?
-Where is God leading me? As an individual, in my family, in the church, in my career, etc.?
-What are my goals for the new year? Is God in them?
-What new thing do I want to learn? How can I pursue this?
Again, these questions are best reflected upon in prayer. These questions should draw us to ask God to reveal what’s been keeping us from Him and then call Him to point us in the right direction. Our plans should be surrendered to God. We can’t, and we won’t, change without the help of the Holy Spirit. It’s a daily battle to choose God’s Way over our own. We need His help and guidance. Only God can see what’s ahead. We simply are called to trust Him.
Your Assignment
As you prepare for the coming of the new year, make an effort to pause, reflect on the last year, and look ahead. Spend time in prayer, earnestly seeking God. He wants a relationship with you. He loves to speak with His children. God is loving, faithful, and trustworthy. Don’t try to take things into your own hands. Trust in the One who gave His one and only Son so that we could have a personal relationship with God into eternity. He doesn’t require you to get your life all put together. He invites you to come to Him just as you are. This last year might’ve been full of pain and misery for you, but there is a God who cares. And He is willing to help. He displayed His ability and willingness to help by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins and raised Him from the dead three days later. He cares about all the little details in our lives. And He’s waiting patiently to hear from you. Talk to Him.
