Next month, as the year 2006 comes to a close, take time to examine your life over the last twelve months. Think about how you might live intentionally over the next twelve months (2007).
I miss the built-in rhythm to life that I had as a student. You begin the semester, Spring ’07, and then it ends in May. You might take a class in summer school, June ’07, and you know it will end six weeks later. Then in August, you begin the Fall ’07 semester. It ends in December.
Now I’m out of school. There is no built-in "start and stop." You know how that works. You work. Go home. Work some more. Go home. The weekend. Go back to work. (Even typing this paragraph feels monotonous.)
I have learned to build rhythm into my life. If I don’t build it into my life, it won’t be there. So every December, I try to spend some time reflecting on the previous twelve months. I think about questions such as the following:
- What has my life been like these past twelve months? What are some of the major or more significant life events that have taken place?
- Are there some regular themes of my life over the past year? What are some of those themes? Do I see any common threads?
- How is my prayer life? What kinds of things have I been praying for lately?
- Are there pockets of my life that I am not dealing with? Is there something in my life that I am really not allowing God to deal with (i.e., thoughts, use of money, use of time, relationships, etc.)?
- What has been my general temperament and attitude over the past twelve months?
- Is there an area of my life in which I know I am living in disobedience?
- What is my wife saying regarding our marriage and regarding me personally? How am I responding to this?
- Am I fully engaged with those who know me best (family/friends), or am I disengaged? Have I pulled away from those nearest to me? What is going on with that?
I am not suggesting that you ask yourself these questions. I am just telling you these are questions I need to reflect on.
After reflecting on the past, I then spend some time thinking about the next twelve months. I am not interested in developing "New Year’s resolutions." Rather, I just want to be intentional about the new year.
You might have some other important questions that have been helpful to you as you think about the previous year. I would enjoy hearing what is helpful to you. I suspect that would help others reading this as well. What questions are important for you to reflect on?
I miss that part of being a student, too! It is important for me to take time to reflect and try to understand what God is doing in my life–and where He is leading from where I am. Thanks for the reflective questions–I am going to print them out and use them!
I love these questions!
I have been trying to note where I need to grow. What has come up that makes that evident.
I am amazed at how I’ve grown in some areas. Yet I see areas of need for growth. So I’m aware of that.
Thanks for sharing your own thoughts on this, Jim. Really good questions to ponder for each of us.
Thanks jettybetty. I’m glad these are useful to you. So glad you left a comment.
Thank you Arlene.
Thanks Ted. I have found that the process of reflection alone has been very significant in my own-faith walk. Far too often, it has been easy to just ignore the issues in my life instead of addressing them.
I’m in agreement with everyone else, great list of questions to ponder on Jim, thanks. To add, I like think about what I have been fearful about. I think fear is a good gauge of potential places of growth.
Motu,What a great suggestion! That had not occurred to me. This might be useful, especially as one considers reoccuring fears.
tough questions – I’ve copied them to a doc so I can journal on them. Great challenge you’ve put out to us.
Ive taken a copy of these questions and addressed them at the start of the year, and mentioned some of my own questions on my blog, thanks for helping me start 2007 intentionally!