Reflections
December 30, 2020
December 30, 2020
I have been thinking a lot about reflections lately as I have been reflecting on the past year. Reflections are not 100% accurate images. There are subtle flaws in mirrors, ripples in water that mars the reflections, and glass itself is not great at giving perfect reflections. Photos can be touched up, videos are edited, even if these images have not been altered they are still not perfect reflections. There is a reason the saying "The camera adds ten pounds" is still said today.
My husband's favourite verse speaks to this: 1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Every reflection we have on earth is flawed, it is only in heaven that we will have perfect reflections of who we are and what are lives meant in the grand scheme of things. Does this stop us from reflecting on the last year and making resolutions to change things for the next year. NO. We are still people who rely on the reflections we have to determine who we are, what we want to change, and what we want to keep.
As I was looking over the past year and thinking about all the things I wanted to change, make better, or changes that I had made that I wanted to continue into the new year; I was struck that I am making these decisions based on the marred view of the past year. God is the only one with the perfect view. Our memories are not even perfect reflections of past events. Even if you have a photographic memory, that means that the only part of the past events you remember clearly are the events you saw for yourself. Media can paint one picture, our memory another, but the truth can only be found with God. So what do we do about the past year in light of that?
God knows that all we have is our limited, marred view of this life, this world, this universe. His expectation is that we do the best we can with the information we have on hand. This means that when reflecting on the past year, I am going to focus on what God would focus on . . . THE GOOD! I will see how much of that good I can bring into 2021. I will leave the bad in the past, choose not to dwell on it, but learn from it. 2021 will not be free of bad things, hard times, loss, and grief; however we can trust that God will cause everything to work together for our good! Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Personal Note: As you reflect on 2020 as bleak as this year may have been try to find the glimmers of good and bring those things into 2021. This will be so much more effective to giving you a great start to the year than resolutions that usually do not last long into the year. Let us all look for the good, there may only be a glint here or there but these gems could just be enough to redeem this last year. Happy New Year everyone!!!
My husband's favourite verse speaks to this: 1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Every reflection we have on earth is flawed, it is only in heaven that we will have perfect reflections of who we are and what are lives meant in the grand scheme of things. Does this stop us from reflecting on the last year and making resolutions to change things for the next year. NO. We are still people who rely on the reflections we have to determine who we are, what we want to change, and what we want to keep.
As I was looking over the past year and thinking about all the things I wanted to change, make better, or changes that I had made that I wanted to continue into the new year; I was struck that I am making these decisions based on the marred view of the past year. God is the only one with the perfect view. Our memories are not even perfect reflections of past events. Even if you have a photographic memory, that means that the only part of the past events you remember clearly are the events you saw for yourself. Media can paint one picture, our memory another, but the truth can only be found with God. So what do we do about the past year in light of that?
God knows that all we have is our limited, marred view of this life, this world, this universe. His expectation is that we do the best we can with the information we have on hand. This means that when reflecting on the past year, I am going to focus on what God would focus on . . . THE GOOD! I will see how much of that good I can bring into 2021. I will leave the bad in the past, choose not to dwell on it, but learn from it. 2021 will not be free of bad things, hard times, loss, and grief; however we can trust that God will cause everything to work together for our good! Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Personal Note: As you reflect on 2020 as bleak as this year may have been try to find the glimmers of good and bring those things into 2021. This will be so much more effective to giving you a great start to the year than resolutions that usually do not last long into the year. Let us all look for the good, there may only be a glint here or there but these gems could just be enough to redeem this last year. Happy New Year everyone!!!