Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
Have you ever taken a moment to look at yourself in the mirror? I mean, not just looking at the surface but looking deep inside yourself? Maybe you took a moment during or at the end of the day to evaluate how everything is going at that moment?
There are a lot of things that happen to us during the day, both good and bad that can really affect us. We run a wide range of emotions, different levels of energy, and any number of other feelings. It is up to each one of us how honest we are with ourselves with what we see when we pause to take inventory.
Just like that mirror, we are reflecting on every aspect of our lives. Every detail that we uncover can be made note of for use in how we plan our future. I have talked about looking at our past and anything still haunting us, but most of our reflection can be more about the little things going on in life right now.
This is not an easy thing to do because most of us have busy days that as they wind down, we just want to rest and mentally disconnect from our day. This is not necessarily a bad thing to do, but it can leave some things from our day unresolved or can be a missed opportunity for us to refocus our energy for the rest of the day or the next. This is why each of us must decide when and how this works best for us.
I’m not talking about spending thirty minutes in deep meditation or some ten-step method for a guaranteed outcome, but a way to check ourselves and adjust where we are heading. It’s like that ever so slight movement we make of the steering wheel to keep us in our lane. The hardest part about the whole thing is being honest with ourselves and committing to that adjustment.
If we know we are not healthy and we know that changing our food selection would help, we still have to commit to the change. But it all doesn’t have to be about the negative because we can celebrate all the positives as well. Your assessment of that situation may be to stay the course or adjust for even more success. The bottom line is to be honest.
I have done self-reflection at times in my life, but always from a place of serious critique of the past or life altering modifications for the future. Setting long term goals based on what we learn from the past is a good thing, but we should have something for the everyday. A way to make those minor course corrections to focus our energy more effectively.
I have had jobs and positions in the past that used a standard military critique model. At any time during a mission or a project you can sit down and ask three questions. One thing that went well, one thing that did not go well, and one thing that can be improved. We can base a lot on the answers to these questions, but we have to be honest.
We can also do more than one or go as in depth in each area as we wish, but we cannot get so caught up in just one too long. It’s about finding answers to move forward, not getting stuck and giving up. No matter when we do this during the day, it’s about collecting information to allow us to reach higher and farther than we ever have before.
As you begin, we have to make sure that you include your relationship with the Lord as part of any reflection. We should be asking Him to give us the answers to all our questions, to let us see what is in our heart, and where we are truly at on our journey. Having and portraying Christ in our lives can definitely be a game changer.
Part of what we are looking for is in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?” Are we placing our faith in Jesus or in something else from this world? Is where we place our faith affecting how we see things or where we are heading?
There are too many of us that miss out on much of what the Lord can give us because we barely open our Bibles. If we need more answers or guidance, we need to be reading and studying God’s word more. We need to be following the example that Jesus set for us and reflect His love in all areas of our lives.
James 1:22-24 has another great reminder, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” We must remember and not get distracted by what the world is offering.
This is why we should follow our reflection by not only projecting what we want for our way, but include God every step of the way. He is that extra energy, that voice of reason, and our weapon against the shadows hiding to trip us up. If we get stuck or stumble, turn to Lamentations 3:40, “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord;”
So, join me to pause during or at the end of the day to reflect on what is going on. Speak to the Lord as you ask those three questions about your day, then project any changes you want to make or give thanks for the blessings you were given. Let the Lord fill you with positive energy as you follow His path for your life.
HIS SPIRIT ON YOUR LIFE PROJECT
We can look back upon our lives for a day, a year, or more,
This may lead us to wonder, what can I learn from everything before.
It may even be more interesting if we changed to look a new way,
Where we are at this moment and how we are feeling today.
If we take a step up to the mirror, what do we really see,
Is it an accurate reflection of who we truly want to be?
Be careful not to just look at the surface and try to peer inside,
Be honest as you peel back the layers so nothing can hide.
As you begin to note where you are and the condition you are in,
Do not fret or lose heart, because this is just a place to begin.
Even when you are on a high that has you floating above the ground,
You have to brace yourself for when you start coming down.
Now that you have this information, examine what you’ve learned,
Are you on a path that you want or maybe you should have turned?
No matter which way you are heading the next step can be the same,
Project your direction of travel and call out your goals by name.
You should also take time to pray for clarity and what you should do,
Always thank the Lord for your blessings and all He has given you.
The Lord will keep you on the path if you take time daily to reflect,
Then keep your vision in line with His, and His Spirit On Your Life Project.
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