Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. Psalm 90:12 CSB

Years ago, when I stopped working, it surprised people that I adjusted so well to retirement life. I always told them, “I had a plan.” I didn’t simply jump into retirement without giving thought to what I would do with all the extra time. While I didn’t have every day mapped out to the minute, I knew (in general) what I wanted to do. I set goals.

At the end of every year, I try to do the same thing. Yes, I’m in my late 60’s, but goal-setting is still a practice I want to continue. It’s important to me that I don’t coast through these final decades of life, and that I live for God’s glory.

Time to Reflect

Before I set my goals and intentions (more on this next week) for the year, I set aside time to reflect on the past year. This is NOT to rehash your mistakes or everything that went wrong or goals you didn’t accomplish. It isn’t a performance review. 

Reflecting on the past year helps you see ways you’ve grown and acknowledge ways you may still need to grow. It’s also a time to see and remember God’s goodness and faithfulness over the past year.

Reflecting on our relationship with God helps us see how He has been with us this past year. We can see where we’ve run ahead without Him. Reflection helps us reorient our hearts and lives around Jesus. This, in turn, directs our steps for the next year. 

The week between Christmas and the New Year is slow and relaxing. That’s the time I set aside to practice the spiritual discipline of remembering. So, grab a cuppa coffee or tea and let’s begin!

Prayer and Reflection

Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness to spend time with His Father in Heaven (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, 6:12). We should do the same. We don’t want to walk into a new year with intentions and goals that aren’t prayed over first!

Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3 NASB

Now, reflect on the past year. Ask yourself some questions to help you determine how the year went. Here are a few to start with:

1. What was a great use of my time and energy last year, that I’d like to do more of this year? What worked well?

2. List any distractions or obstacles that kept me from achieving my goals (busyness, fear, pushback from others)

3. What victories, accomplishments, and milestones am I celebrating?

4. What small moments of joy, peace, or simple pleasure did I experience (check your calendar or your journal to help jog your memory)?

5. Looking back, what have I learned this past year? What have I learned about God this past year? Where have I seen His faithfulness? What/who am I most grateful for?

6. What prayers are answered, and for what am I still praying?

Review Your Current State

Next, let’s take some time to review our current status. An inventory, if you will, of the different areas of our lives. The following are a few sample questions:

1. What is the current state of my heart (emotional health)?

2. What is the current state of my soul (spiritual health)?

3. What is the current state of my mind (what occupies my thoughts; mental health)?

4. What is the current state of my body (physical health)?

5. Who is in my life for me to love? What is the current state of my relationships?

6. What matters most (When I reach the end of my life, will this answer be the same?)?

7. What are my dreams and passions? What gifts do I have? How can I use them to bring glory to God?

8. What are my limitations?

A tool that I’ve found helpful is the Wheel (or Circle) of Life or the Personal Vitality Plan. It helps you take stock of different areas of your life. Full disclosure: I have not been consistent with using this tool. But I know that I should use it (at least quarterly) so that I won’t coast through life. It also helps me make course corrections if I am drifting.

Remember the Past to Plan the Future

We remember and reflect on the past year to make God-honoring plans for the new year. This reflection helps us revive dreams and goals that got pushed to the side. It gives us fresh vision for the work the Lord has called me to do. We look to the past and see what distractions kept us from being the person the Lord called us to be.

Looking back, we are encouraged by God’s faithfulness in His guidance. We see the victories, accomplishments, and milestones marked, all to God’s glory! And we see the simple, small pleasures in life that bring great joy (More of these in the new year, please!).

What’s Next

Next week, we dive into goals, resolutions, and intentions for the year. And lest you think it’s too late by then, know this: There is nothing special or magical or super spiritual about having goals set by January 1.  The point is to align your life with Christ, pray, and see what He may have for you in the year to come!

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men. Colossians 3:23 NASB

Until next week,

It was a Christmas Eve tradition: Mama would dress my brother and me in our candy cane striped pajamas (my brother denies the pj’s, but I’m 95% certain we had them. I think we had matching caps too!). Daddy would pack us in the car, and we’d drive through beautiful neighborhoods and look at Christmas lights. Back then, the lights were the real deal – no multi-colored string of lights flashing to the beat of some hip-hop Christmas song.

These lights were luminaries: a layer of sand in the bottom of a white or brown lunch sized paper bag, with a candle placed in the sand. Many of the bags had Christmas designs cut into them – Christmas trees, Santa Claus or stars. The bags were placed along walkways and the candles were lit.

As we drove, I would peek out the car window, watching people walk from one circle of light to the next. Just when I thought they would have to walk in darkness, we’d slowly round a corner, and another luminary would be there to brighten the path. The warm, golden glow from the candles radiated out a few feet, lighting the way.

Those were REAL luminaries. But, if you want to read about a TRUE luminary, you must begin with the story of creation.

“God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.” Genesis 1:16-17

The lights and stars God placed in the sky are luminaries, or light-bearers. Their purpose is to provide light to the earth. And so it has been throughout scripture.

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him…the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.” Matthew 2:2, 9

The Star of the East guided the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. The light of the star led them to THE Light.

“Then Jesus spoke to them saying ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.’” John 8:12

Jesus is the Light who illumines the earth.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16

The morning star (generally Venus) is the first star to appear in the east before sunrise. You’ve perhaps heard the phrase “It’s always darkest before dawn.” That’s when the Morning Star really shines – when the world is dark. Jesus provides light when we need it most.

It’s simply beautiful. And beautifully simple. Jesus IS our true Christmas light.

God placed the stars in the sky to light our way. He gave us Jesus, the bright Morning Star, the Light of the world, to do the same. Jesus illuminates our path and guides us, even through our darkest days.

Son of God, love’s pure light…

Grace be with you this Christmas,