Reflection and Projection
Happy New Year Dear Friends!
I pray everyone enjoyed their holidays with family and friends by their side, laughter floating thick in the air. Old traditions we look forward to each year brought down from the “shelf”, dusted off and polished ready for use, while maybe some new ones were created to add continued fun in years to come.
Perhaps this year; however, was filled with a heavy sadness from the void of missing faces you would give anything to gaze upon once more. The complicated mixture of joy for the season and sorrow from loss, left you with a hollow feeling that seemed to dim the glow of the Christmas tree lights ever so slightly. If this was you, I ask the peace of our Jesus to wrap around you and hold you close.
Whatever the environment within your home, I hope you allowed yourself the time to be refreshed, soaking up every little moment, like a biscuit cleaning a plate of the last traces of gravy. In our crazy, “do not pass go, do not collect $200” world we find ourselves, space to breathe is a must.
One of the best ways we can accomplish this, is through intentional times of reflection and projection. Since we are rolling into a new year, it’s the perfect opportunity to get started. So, let’s break this down a little, shall we?
Looking back gives us an opportunity to grow, as we learn from our mistakes, analyze areas in need of improvement and strive for change that pushes us to better ourselves. Taking an honest inventory of where we have been, allows for clearer focus to where we want to be in the future. This can actually bring peace within our lives and give purpose to our day to day. This exercise can be used in any area of our lives such as personal, spiritual and professional; however, today- we will focus on spiritual.
Here are some valuable questions you can ask yourself, but make sure to answer truthfully. Reflection is fruitless, if you are not serious about renovating your faith and making necessary upgrades.
Where did I see my greatest spiritual victory/ies last year?
Name those seasons when God was faithful through fire and flood. Recall the time when you heard Him the clearest and felt His presence. Write them down, perhaps in the front cover of your bible for quick reference. Allow these snippets of time from your memory bank, to become your stones of remembrance. (In the Old Testament, these are called Ebenezers) It’s a great practice, because when the storm comes again, and we all know it will, we can read our notes and be reminded of the faithfulness of the Lord. If He did it once, He can do it again!
Are there areas I suffered defeat? If so, why?
This question is vital to a healthy spiritual life. Where was the crack in the foundation, the open window or unlocked door that allowed the enemy a foothold? Give yourself grace when you stumble, we are but human; however, be ever wise and always learning from the bruises and skinned knees. If you took an “L” last year, it’s time to be honest about the weakness in your flesh, and make steps to repair the breach.
Was my time spent wisely for Kingdom work?
If your schedule stayed so jam packed you didn’t know if you were coming or going, you may want to rethink your calendar. This is the one I struggle with, as I am very prone to be a Martha. So busy about my Father’s business, I forget sometimes to stop and just rest at His feet. On the flip side, if your time was spent scrolling TikTok and binge watching Netflix, you may have a greater issue. We live in a dark, lonely world full of people struggling and hopeless. Darkness does not slumber. It constantly seeks its next victim. If you are a Christ follower, then you have the power inside of you to help defeat the shadows and bring light to the masses. We cannot afford to sit around expecting someone else to handle it. This job is too large for just a few. We need all hands on deck!
Did I walk in step with the Lord? Run ahead? Lag behind?
How often did you seek God’s counsel when it came to your decisions last year? Or, perhaps you did ask, He answered, but not in the way you expected, so you drug your feet on the matter. Our goal should be to walk in sync, step by step, with our Savior. Jesus set the ultimate example while on Earth, when He said multiple times, “I came to do the will of My Father”. How closely we are aligned with the Lord, says a lot about our obedience and desire for oneness with Christ. So, if this was an area you saw lacking, start new habits moving forward. Seek God’s will first, above your own.
These are just a small sampling of possible questions to reflect on. The point of the exercise is to evaluate where you came from, to better know where you want to go. This moves us to the next area of discussion.
Where to you want to go in your faith journey this year? What new attribute of God would you like to learn about in the coming months? Have things you found you need to work on, after making a reflection inventory? How do you want to tackle those items?
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proversb 29:18a)
Solomon was speaking in reference to the Word being the guiding light for the Jewish nation in the verse above. We know this because the rest of the scripture reads, “but he that keeps the law, happy is he.”
Humans were created with a built-in, forward motion, drive train. We function best when we look ahead, plan, scheme, explore, wonder, conquer and many other such verbs that indicate striving onward to complete goals and tasks. When applied to our spiritual lives, it is the catalyst (in conjunction with the Holy Spirit), that moves us closer to Christ and changes us, as Paul stated, from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
This flesh can be a major pain, like a huge dead weight hanging around your neck choking the life out of you. Once we reflect back and identify areas we need to fine tune, we have just created and projected a new vision. One of our goals, as a serious Christ follower, should be to allow the image we see in the mirror daily, to morph more and more into the face of Jesus. No one said it was easy, but know this- The more you look like Jesus in your speech, actions, emotions, mercy, kindness, patience and self control, the freer you become.
There is a special place of peace that will flood your mind and body when you walk in obedience to the Lord’s precepts. Fears ease, doubts blow away with the breeze, calmness washes over your mind… you find a rest this world will never be able to give and can never take away.
Practicing reflection to discover what needs some tweaking and then gathering a game plan to aide in projecting those future goals, gives you a sense of purpose and meaning for the days ahead. Any type of work is hard sometimes, but once you achieve the finished product, and can stand back with a sense of accomplishment under your belt, the next task which comes along doesn’t seem as daunting. And those gut wrenching seasons we need to learn from, because we would rather not repeat? Paul talks about that:
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Let’s keep focused in 2026 toward our eternal goal. Had some twists and turns last year? Maybe you landed in a ditch or two? Depression and sorrow from loss try to overwhelm you? Or maybe you were blessed and joy was abundant? Whatever the image in the rearview mirror, the windshield view can look very different for the travels ahead.
Set an intentional time of prayer, each day, to fellowship with the Lord.
Study a couple of books in the Bible you find challenging. Read commentaries to help you learn and go a little deeper in your knowledge.
Purpose in your heart to worship in all seasons- sun and rain.
Find an accountability partner to help you walk the road of faith.
Stay connected to a local body of believers in a Bible preaching, God fearing church.
Seek Godly counsel and wisdom if you find yourself in a dark valley. There are many gifted Christian therapists who can assist you in putting all the broken pieces back in place.
I am praying over the Bride of Christ going into this new year. That she will be pure, adorned in crisp, clean linens, while carrying a sword and armor at the same time, alert and ready for battle.
Cast your vision. Be excited for the outcome. Let’s see what God will bring to His people in the months ahead!