How far have you come this last year?
It鈥檚 that time of season when we reflect on the passing year for what happened during this last calendar year in our lives. It鈥檚 the personal and cultural evaluation of the last 12 months or so of experiences and events that impacted us as individuals and family.
What have you been through this last year? What have you accomplished, attempted, survived or fell short on? Each year, some type of milestone comes around for everyone. There are birthdays, to be sure, another year older. Perhaps for you, someone passed away and/or someone was born. For parents, your child (ren) got older, upgraded to another grade, maybe became teenagers? Maybe your child graduated? Maybe your child turned 30? Perhaps your parents turned 50, or 70?
Some milestones are that some retired from the general workforce while others got a decent job or promotion. How many people moved this year? How many couples got divorced or married? How many pounds did we lose, or gain? How did last year鈥檚 commitment to exercise and a healthier lifestyle go?
Many folks look at all the yearly life event markers and compile them together as an indicator of their traveling status, or in other words, what I鈥檝e been through, and how far I鈥檝e come, or traveled. Couples and families also do this assessment. And this appraisal allows us opportunity to regroup ourselves into a determination of future decisions for our traveling path.
Years ago, I used to walk and inspect gas pipelines on right-of-ways for my employer. It could be quite arduous, especially in inclement weather conditions, to be walking up and down the steep hills of Greene County and in West Virginia. One day, as I was walking a pipeline in lower Greene County, I stopped at my second beat on my second hill sweating and about out of breath. I turned around and looked back and it became a real spiritual moment for me. From on top of a hill, I looked back at how far I had traveled and the effort it took to get there.
Then it hit me 鈥� this is just like my walk, or travels with God, look at how far I have traveled with him. I considered the things I had been through, and the effort it took to get where I am at spiritually in my walk with God. Admittedly, sometimes those paths were hard and had to be endured, and I didn鈥檛 look forward to the spiritual work that lay ahead; but somewhere along the way, I would be able to look back and have an approving nod that I was still moving, no matter my condition 鈥� that I would stay faithful to the cause.
How far have you come in your walk with God this last year? What has your travel path been like?
Most know the scripture Psalm 23:4, 鈥淵ea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and staff they comfort me.鈥� (KJV)
The significance of that verse for this message is in the walking, or traveling, portion. The writer wasn鈥檛 just traveling, but he was traveling through a bad place, rough times, hardship, and the valley of the shadow of death and yet, two things are noted. First off, he kept moving! He didn鈥檛 hunker down somewhere and pitch a fit, he didn鈥檛 become stalled out, and he didn鈥檛 give up. He kept traveling the path that he was in.
It鈥檚 hard for the Devil to hit a moving target.
The second note is that he recognized by faith that God was with him, that no matter what, he was strengthened and comforted by his faith in God鈥檚 guiding and protecting providence in his life. So he was fearless about what he was going through and the surrounding of his experience and the event.
Oh that we could say or be the same?
And so, I鈥檒l ask it again: 鈥淗ow far have you come in your walk with God this last year?鈥� Please do an estimation about last year, and then plan for the next one.
Blessings.