“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
Do you like to skip to the end of a book or a movie? Are you one of those people who just wants to see how it all turns out? Does knowing the end help you to enjoy the unfolding of the story better? You can see how everything fits together as it is happening. But it does take the element of wonder and surprise out of the picture, doesn’t it? When you don’t know the end, you find yourself trying to figure out how things fit. You think back to earlier parts of the story and try to envision where the creator is taking you. Life is more like that, right? As much as we want to skip to the end and see how it all turns out, we can’t. Each step along the journey of life is connected, but if we aren’t thinking back as well as looking forward, we don’t make the connection. Let’s apply that to right now, shall we?
The best way to prepare for the new year is to look back at the current year. We are a culture that skips over reflection to get to what is next. I know I do! Tom and I have been in a major transition for quite some time, and I have been so aware of how much I want to just skip to the end. But I have also been aware that I haven’t wanted to miss anything along the way. I know that every step is important. Every transition has endings and beginnings, but in between is the messy middle. That’s the place where you want to skip to the end! Now that our transition has more beginnings, I have been looking back and seeing the important steps along the way. The ones I wanted to skip.
In this season of reflection, I was reminded of the very first verse that ever caught my attention from Scripture. I wasn’t reading the Bible regularly at that time. I wasn’t even aware of what God was doing in my life. But this verse spoke to me. I don’t remember how it caught my attention; I only remember the verse.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
It said what I wanted to say. It described how I wanted to live. I wrote it on an index card and placed it where I could see it. I memorized it and it became part of who I am and how I approach life.
My current reflection reminded me of just how deeply that verse has become a part of my approach to life, even during this transition. In many ways, it has defined me and guided me. I want whatever I do to be done with all that I am for God’s glory, and I trust that there is a heavenly reward waiting for me.
When I am weary, I still give the best I can. When I am afraid, I remind myself who I am working for. When the present looks unproductive and unprofitable, I remember that there is an abundant inheritance on the other side of life waiting for me.
The best way to prepare for moving forward is to recognize where you are. You may not know exactly where you want to go in the year ahead, but if you don’t know where you are you can’t begin to map out going anywhere.
Where are you right now, my friend? What has brought you to this point? Do you have a foundational verse that motivates you? Do you need one? How do you want that foundation to carry you into next year? Whether or not you are in a transition, what do you want to anchor you?
In the hustle and bustle that often defines December, why not set aside some time to reflect on some of those questions? Reminisce. Recall. And then…imagine what the future might look like because of what has gone before. Just as that verse has become part of who I am, God has built a foundation in you that He wants to build on. It has carried you through this past year, just as that verse has carried me through our transition, and it will carry you into the new year. Dear Friend, you can count on that! Don’t skip it!
Key Question: What past motivation do you want to carry you into the future?
A Scripture to Consider: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
A YES Challenge: Set aside time for reflection. Put it on your calendar and keep that appointment with God. Ask Him to remind you of a core Scripture or idea that has positively motivated you throughout your life. What can you do to let that verse motivate you in the new year?
Prayer: Father, thank You for the foundations You have built in me, even when I was unaware of them being built. Help me to remember and rely on what You have already done in me as I approach planning for the new year. Help me to look forward knowing that You have prepared me to build on some solid truths that will carry me forward toward all that You have for me. Amen.