Too often we focus on the new without learning from the past, which tends to doom us to repeating the past. An honest reflection on the past reveals our frailties, as painful as they may be.
For me, reflecting back on my debilities from the past year will reveal the faithfulness of God. So, without further delay, here, in all their glory, are last year's debilities.
1. Pride and arrogance abound in my soul and in the world in which I live.
2. Truth is something many claim to love, including myself, but if truth were told, we love it less than we admit.
3. The older I get, and I am getting old, the harder life is.
4. The more I think I understand the less I understand.
5. Resolution, no matter how much you want it, always takes two.
6. Despite my best intentions, my intentions are never purely best.
7. Forgiveness is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and it becomes exponentially harder when forgiving something that was personal, but it does give one a small perspective of how God forgives us each day.
8. What you put into your heart the most will be that which comes out of your heart the most.
9. It is impossible to love someone the way they should be loved without Jesus Christ.
10. I have learned over the last year that the gospel is irrational, illogical and completely unbelievable if left up to human reason alone. It takes the Holy Spirit to believe in the gospel, and then it takes the Holy Spirit, a fellowship of Believers, much prayer, daily time in word and an assortment of other things to live the gospel out to others. I, nor anyone else, can live life as a Christian when focused on other things more than God.
11. God is never still and always moving.
12. The world in which we all live is moving towards destruction as scripture says.
13. The church is the bride of Christ, but it is not Christ himself; therefore, it is imperfect and sinful and in need of Jesus as much as I need Jesus.
14. The church is under attack and in need of constant prayer. I have not prayed for her the way I should.
15. This past year I have learned how beautiful and loving the church is.
16. I continue to learn the lesson that power is destructive and will make men do things they pledged never to do.
17. Bulverism is alive and well and growing (See C.S. Lewis's God in the Dock for an explanation of the term as it is his.).
18. I have learned that the reputation of others is worth protecting no matter what they have done to yours.
19. I have learned this lesson the hard way; it is easy to forget the things you do to others, but it is very difficult to forget the things done to you. Forgive me for the things I have done to others.
20. I have learned how hard it is to NOT live for one's own comfort and happiness. Most think living for Christ, no matter the cost, means giving up one's comfort and happiness. For me, it means that both my comfort and my happiness are in His hands and not mine. It also means that His glory is more important than my comfort and my happiness so when the two come into conflict it is His glory that should always win out.
It has been a good year for us this year. We have learned much, and we look forward to another year of life, learning and our Lord. God Bless!
No comments:
Post a Comment