As we come to the end of another year I hope that you take the time to reflect on what has taken place in your life over these past 12 months. Socrates put it this way “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Paul in 2 Corinthians 13: 5 shared this instruction to the church, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” The prophet Jeremiah was a little more passionate in Lamentations 3:40 when he said, “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!
Each one of these writers inspired or otherwise, identifies the need for all of us to take a look at the life we each lead. The words of Jesus help me to put my life into perspective – “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”- Luke 10:27. Following that vein here are some questions you might ask yourself as this year draws to a close:
- Am I closer or farther away from God today than I was December 2011?
- What have I chosen to remove from on my life because of my relationship with Christ? If nothing what should I have?
- What have I chosen to add to my life because of my relationship with Christ? If nothing what should I have?
- What have I spent the greater part of my time on, and does it have long term, or even better, eternal consequence?
- Outside of my circle of friends and family how many lives have I touched in a meaningful way?
- What have I done to better myself this year in each of these categories: physically, spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually?