I hope you had a great Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior and I hope you are looking forward to growth in your spiritual life in this new year.
This time of the year is always a time of reflection for me. I reflect on the past and wonder, “Did I represent the Savior well?” And of course, when I think about a new year, I have a great desire to doing a better job in the days and months to come.
My friend, Dave Devries, wrote a blog about reflecting on the old year and in his blog he asked some powerful questions to help anyone take an inventory of their life and to help move them forward to greater awareness of their life before God. I found them challenging, convicting, and helpful! Take a look at the questions below and give an honest answer:
- What did I do well?
- What habits have I maintained?
- Who have I influenced to follow Jesus?
- Where do I need to improve?
- How have I experienced…
- • Victory over sin and true repentance?
- • God’s presence and peace?
- • Hope for the future?
- • True friendship?
- • Growth in character and integrity?
- • Grace and forgiveness
- What sins do I need to confess?
- Whom do I need to forgive?
- What difference did I make this past year?
- What would be worth repeating in the new year?
- How did my life bring God glory?
I challenge you to take the next 10 days and journal your answer to one of these 10 questions. In your journaling,
look for scriptures that speak to the question and write them down. Ask yourself, “What do I need to do to obey this passage of Scripture?” And then write out a prayer committing yourself to action with God’s help. An honest appraisal
and a devoted heart can make 2013 our best year yet for spiritual growth!
