Taking Time to Reflect

Teachers are trained to take time to reflect. We think upon the success—or failure—of each lesson to determine the next steps in instruction. We take time to consider the overall day. How well did I implement my classroom management strategy? Was I able to make connections with students? Do I have concerns for any of them? What can I do differently in the days and weeks ahead to improve?

The practice of reflection has an important place in our spiritual lives as well.

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines reflect as to consider attentively, to revolve in the mind, to contemplate.

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on this last year. It has been a year since the beginning of the pandemic, and I find myself asking what have I learned? What has changed in my life? Am I the same?

I still remember when the stay-at-home orders first came down, and we weren’t going to be able to meet as a church body. I knew there would be spiritual casualties, and I determined not to be one of them. This concern prompted me—along with more time at home with less distractions—to find more time in the day to spend with the Lord in His Word and prayer. I realized that a focus on knowledge about God and His Word had caused me to lose some of the simple joy that comes from knowing Him. Somewhere between March and April of 2020, I had found a renewed sense of joy and sweetness in my relationship with the Lord. Looking back, I can say that this year has truly been one of revival for me. I don’t share that with you to “toot my own horn,” but rather to consider why it took a pandemic to get me to that point.

As I reflect on years past, I can see that while I was faithful to read and study the Bible, spend time in prayer, and be involved in church, there were other responsibilities and distractions in my life that fought for my attention. Those things held a place of priority in my life. Notice I didn’t say they were given preeminence. I knew better than to put those things ahead of my relationship with the Lord, but I certainly allowed them to compete for my focus and attention.

Please understand, these things I’m talking about are not sinful in and of themselves. Many of these things are even a necessary part of living here on earth. The problem was that they were not in their proper place. I had allowed them to become too important.

I realized that the time for reflection in a Christian’s life is not occasionally or once a year. If I don’t want to go back to “normal” then I need to examine my heart on a daily basis and invite the Lord to do the same. I need to be willing to say, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).”

Take some time to reflect…today and always.