A Not-So-Fond Farewell and an Eager Welcome

Somebody really should do something about the convergence of Christmas and New Year’s that comes after only seven days. The echoes of carols have barely faded, and gifts lie hardly unwrapped, as we start preparing to sing “Auld Lang Syne” and kick the old year to the curb. (Although, given the kind of year 2021 turned out to be, maybe it would have been nice if we could have done that months ago.)

During these last moments of the old year, we often stop to look back, reflecting on the good and bad, the things we accomplished and things that fell short of success. I typically revisit old goals, to see how many of them I reached and determine which unrealized goals should be carried over into the new year. There are always surprises – what I didn’t get done, and things I did that I hadn’t expected to do.

 

But in general, there’s limited value in looking back. The past is in the past, cast in stone; while we can learn from failures and revel momentarily in our successes, the best thing we can do with the present is prepare for the future. I’m with the apostle Paul who wrote, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

 

Paul had much to regret from his pre-Christ days, as the zealous Pharisee Saul, but rather than dwell on that, he used it as motivation to propel him to fuller service to Jesus and His people. Every chance he got, Paul told people about how the Lord had transformed his life and how He could do the same for them. He was perhaps the most forward-thinking of the apostles.

 

As Christ followers, we should be the same. We might rejoice over what He has done in and through our lives over the past year, but now’s the time to prepare for what the Lord has for us in the new year. How, through His enabling power, we can become more effective witnesses for Him – by our lives as well as our words.

 

Each of us is different, so our goals and plans should align with where God has uniquely placed us, what gifts He has given to us, and what passions He has placed in our hearts. Even though the shift from 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31 to midnight on Jan. 1 is but a single minute, we can still see it as a fresh start filled with unlimited opportunities.

 

Here are a few suggestions I’ve found helpful to consider as we enter another calendar year:

 

First, I’d suggest making time alone with God a priority. Maybe you’re already doing this – devoting a portion of each day to reading and studying the Scriptures, praying and seeking His guidance, which is essential. As with any relationship, giving the Lord our undivided time and attention is one way of drawing closer to Him. 

 

There are countless Bible reading plans, including ways to read through it in a year. I’ve just finished using one. But most important, time in the Word of God daily – whether it’s a verse, a chapter or several chapters – is invaluable. As Hebrews 4:12 assures us, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

I’ve read through the Scriptures numerous times, and yet every time there’s always much I didn’t see before, or a principle that strikes me in a new way. As we grow in our faith, the Word of God grows on us.

 

Memorizing and meditating on the Scriptures is one way to plant God’s truth in our lives permanently. As King David wrote, drawing from experience, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word…. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9,11).

 

Prayer is a mystery, speaking and sharing our hearts with Someone we can’t see, but we do so in faith, with hope and expectation. The very first Bible verse I ever learned says we’re to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and that means it’s something we can do at any time throughout the day, even when we’re in an important meeting, driving a car (with our eyes opened), or walking through a mall. 

 

One secret for spiritual growth is a willingness, even an eagerness, to share what we’ve learned with others. Paul exhorted his protégé, Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). There’s an amazing principle that as we share from what the Lord has given us, He in turn entrusts us with more. Whether it’s money or spiritual truth, as someone has said, “You can’t outgive God.”

We have all journeyed through the past year, encountering many bumps and obstacles along the way. But by the grace of God, we’re still here and poised to start a new 365-day trip, one certain to be filled with surprises and challenges, joys and disappointments. As I prepare to do so, I continue to cling to a passage that has served me well for more than 40 years: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Blessings for a fruitful – and faithful – new year! 

Forgetting the Past…Building for the Future

What kind of year has 2014 been for you? Does it make you want to say, “Sorry to see you go,” or “Good riddance”?

Has it been a year of moving forward, accomplishing significant goals and collecting memorable experiences? Or has it been a year of treading water at best, or of moving backward, enduring disappointments and suffering pain, whether physical, emotional or both?

Emerging from hazy past, sometimes
the future can seem equally foggy.

For many of us the ending of one calendar year and the starting of another often prompt times for reassessing where we’ve been and where we think we’re going. If the year has been a good one for the most part, we’re eager to proceed, hoping to experience more of the same – or to build even more elaborately on the foundation that’s been laid.

Sometimes, however, it’s hard to project where we think we’re headed, especially if we’re not thrilled with the journey so far. The past has a way of clinging to us even when we’d desperately like it to let go.

The past offers a particular conundrum. It’s often said those who forget the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them, but at the same time inordinate focus on past events can become paralyzing. So how do we strike a proper balance?

Paul the apostle offers a good example to follow. Writing to followers of Jesus in the city of Philippi, Paul stated, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

This doesn’t mean the apostle had totally forgotten his past misdeeds. He vividly remembered times when he zealously opposed those he later came to regard as his brothers and sisters in Christ. “I persecuted the followers of the Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison” (Acts 22:4). But he didn’t dwell those wrongs, no matter how wretched they were, understanding he had received God’s forgiveness. He’d become a changed man.

We all also have deeds we wish we hadn’t done or things we dearly wish we had done when we had the opportunity, but the past is written in stone. It can’t be erased. We can’t un-write our personal history, but starting today we can create fresh, new, different chapters that don't have to result in remorse and regret.

In that sense, like Paul, we also can “strain toward what is ahead,” pressing toward those things God has called us to do as well as what He wants us to become.

Then again, obsessing over the future can be as unproductive as immersing ourselves with thoughts of what’s gone before. That’s why Jesus offered this caution: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

Around the first of the year I have a personal tradition of reviewing the previous 12 months, my successes and failures, along with what I achieved in my quest to attain specific goals. And then I set new goals for the coming year. But I know a year’s worth of goals won’t be accomplished in a single day or a week. One day at a time is all we can do. We rightly plan for the days ahead of us – tomorrow, next week, two months from now. But the events of today have an annoying way of disrupting expectations for tomorrow.

So as we move into 2015, I’m resolved to do my best to learn from past mistakes and not repeat them, not wallow in wrongs that can’t be undone, and strive to be ready for future opportunities, remembering that in Christ, “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

It’s a New Year, Ready or Not!

Well, the Times Square ball has dropped; Father Time has passed the baton to a younger 2012 version; the holidays are over – and the real world is starting up again, ready or not.

Some say, according to the Mayan calendar, that this is the year the world ends. If that’s the case, let’s hope it’s before the November elections. Maybe what the Mayans meant was this is the year election rhetoric ends. Wouldn’t that be great? No more promises made with no intention to be kept; no relentless opponent bashing; no feeble attempts to convince voters that any of the candidates are really worth voting for.

Call me skeptical, even cynical when it comes to the current political climate. But where is Abraham Lincoln when you need him? If the Martians were to land and demand, “Take us to your leader,” wouldn't we find ourselves hard-pressed to figure out who that would be?

Last week I offered some thoughts about resolutions vs. goal-setting. I hope you have taken at least a few minutes to do one or the other; whatever works for you. But let me ask (you and me) a few questions as we embark on this great adventure we will forever call “2012.” Just some food for thought:

·       What is one thing you could do, starting today, that would result in a meaningful change in your life this year?

·       Since each day still has only 24 hours, and each week has only seven days, what step might you take to invest more time and waste less of it?

·       We all tend to grumble and complain about the state of the world today, so what is one thing you can do personally to contribute toward making the world a better place?

·       What difference would it make – if any – if you made a conscious effort to devote specific time to God every day: reading the Bible, praying, meditating, or whatever?

·       How could you apply this passage from the Scriptures – and how might it change your attitude toward each day? “Finally…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Happy New Year!

Fresh Starts . . . and New Goals

Have you recovered from the Christmas commotion? Frantic searches for gifts; festive and sometimes stressful family gatherings; frenetic attempts to finish work projects so you can enjoy time off in peace?

The last gifts are barely unwrapped and we’re already wrestling with some of mankind’s most compelling questions: How to celebrate the arrival of the New Year? How long will it take to get used to writing “2012”? How to pay the “merry Christmas” expenses?

But a greater question is what 2012 will offer: What joys, disappointments, achievements and surprises lurk at the turn of the calendar?

The sun is setting on an old year,
making room for a new one.

The ballyhooed transition from 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2011 to 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2012 is largely a global timeline convenience, but it still spawns hope and anticipation – an opportunity to start fresh, vowing to avoid past mistakes and determining to make corrections in the new year.

Columnist Craig Wilson of USA Today wrote, “The best thing about 2012 is that it is a blank slate – a year when anything can happen.... The future? A wide-open road.” 

So what will be written on your “slate”? What course will your “wide-open road” follow?

Some people make resolutions: “I resolve to (fill in the blank).” As I’ve written before, I never make resolutions. They’re easy to break, and once broken, we discard them. Instead, I set goals – tangible, measurable targets, both short-term and long-term. They may include losing a few pounds or learning something new. Or they might be to work on being healthier or more fit, or read some mind-expanding books.

As each new year starts, I maintain an annual tradition of reviewing the year past and setting specific goals for the months ahead. Goals will relate to work, relationships, finances, my physical well-being. Perhaps you’ll do the same.

But have you ever considered setting spiritual goals as well? Granted, we can’t truly gauge spiritual growth. As I see it, God is the only one that can accurately measure that. However, we can set goals that can enhance our spiritual state. Goals like spending time in the Scriptures each day, or reading a challenging, thoughtfully written devotional book. Memorizing some meaningful Bible verses. Setting aside specific time to pray each day.

Everyone’s goals must be their own, but while you’re considering the intellectual, physical and relational aspects of your life, I’d encourage you to also set a goal or two to address the spiritual facet of your life.

In Isaiah 43:18-19, God reminds us to always be looking forward, eager to see what He is going to do: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Living in a world that seems to have more than its share of desert and wasteland, I plan to set a few spiritual goals to make sure I’m open to what God wants to show me – and teach me – during the coming year. 

Resolved Against Resolutions

With the calendar poised to turn from 2010 to 2011, many of us think of this as a time for a fresh start. For some it means making resolutions to do things differently.

For instance, "I resolve to eat better." "I resolve to quit smoking." "I resolve to get into a regular exercise routine and lose 20 pounds." "I resolve to watch less TV and use my time more productively."

The problem with resolutions is they tend to be all or nothing. Once habits triumph over good intentions, we quit in resignation. "I knew I couldn't do it," we mumble, shrug, and return to our old ways. That's why for many years I've resolved not to make resolutions. Instead, I set goals.

Goals provide a target, something I can aim toward over a desired period of time: Where am I going? How am going to get there? How will I know when I've arrived?

Almost every New Year's Day I sit down and review my goals for the year past, evaluate them, and write down new goals. I even classify them according to different areas of my life: vocational, physical, spiritual, family, mental, financial, ministry, and hobbies

Some of these simply carry over from the past year - such as spending time daily to read the Bible, pray and meditate; exercising at least five times a week; maintaining a goal weight; devoting time to mentoring other men.

But other goals are brand-new, whether they involve my work, writing and editing; planning a special getaway with my wife; or setting new financial objectives.

The point is they give me something to shoot for. If I fail one day, all isn't lost. Tomorrow's another day. A goal can take the whole year to accomplish, like reading through the Bible. Or it can be short-term, such as losing any added holiday weight by March 1.

For me the process is as important as the end result. Hopefully, my goals provide guidelines to help me become a better husband, father, grandfather, worker, friend, and ultimately, servant of Jesus Christ.

I try always to remember, as Colossians 3:23-24 instructs us, "Whatever you do , do you work (even goal-setting) as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."

Beginnings and Endings

Do you wish you could have a “do-over,” or what golfers call a “mulligan”? Often I hear people say, “If I could do things over, I would….” I’ve thought the same thing myself from time to time. But the harsh reality is what’s done is done – and can’t be undone.

That does not resign us to hopelessness, however. Recently one of my daughters sent me the following thought:

“Nobody can start a new beginning, but you can start today and make a new ending.”

That says although we don’t get a “do-over,” we can have a “do better” or “do differently” in the future. Approaching the start of a new year, that’s sound advice.

Annually I review the year just past as well as write goals for the new year in several areas, including work, family, mental and physical fitness, finances, hobbies, and spiritual growth. They are goals – something to strive for over the course of the year – rather than resolutions that might amount to nothing more than promises to myself that I cannot or choose not to keep.

In some respects, Jan. 1 is not much different from Dec. 31, except the numerical designation for the year changes. But it does serve as a convenient time to reassess where you’ve been, reevaluate where you want to go, and determine how best to get there.

The apostle Paul knew about starting today to make a new ending. In Philippians 3:13 he declared, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize….”

In other letters he acknowledged errors in his past, but refused to dwell on them. He could not undo what had been done, but he could determine to make better decisions in the future. And so should we.