RESTARTSample

Retrospect 

As the year comes to an end, it is also the end of another chapter in our lives. At a time like this, it is good to look back. You can see only as much forward as you can look behind. Behind us lie our failures, shortcomings and challenges. It’s the things that didn’t get done. It is filled with our mistakes and regrets. If you missed killing some of your Goliaths in the past, be sure, they will pop up with a greater force in the future. All of this in mind, we must try and look back.

My dad always used to say, “You can either learn by making your own mistakes or be wise and learn from somebody else’s mistakes. In 1 Corinthians 10:11, that’s precisely what the scripture is saying to us. The children of Israel were rebellious, ungrateful and constantly whiny. They weren’t just ungrateful but they blamed God constantly for their situation. Despite God giving them His best, they chose not to see it but rather complain. That definitely attracted God’s judgment and hindered their forward progress. Having an attitude like them can hinder our forward progress in a similar way. It blinds us to what God is doing in our lives and makes us selfish and self-centered. The Holy Spirit urges us to learn from the mistakes of the children of Israel rather than committing them ourselves. It is a good place to start by looking back at someone else’s mistakes and also our own.

Exercise:

1. Make a list of where you need to see your attitude change with God. Identify and list areas of sin, fear, rebellion, distrust and replace that with faith, promise, hope and gratitude through prayer

2. Make a list of major mistakes or shortcomings in the past year that you do not want to see repeated.

3. Talk to your spouse, parents, friends and Pastors to find our what they see about you that you do not see.