Wow...2015 is here! Seems like just yesterday I was ready to "party like it's 1999." Haha! But that is showing my age. It really does seem that the older I get, the faster the clock moves, that time really does take up wings and fly instead of moving on cruise control.
Even so, we are a people who seem to like life in the fast lane. One of the bad things about racing through life is that when you are moving at warp speed you don't have time to reflect! Looking in our "rearview mirror" is just an afterthought and because of it we cause ourselves many unnecessary collisions.
It's like traveling down the road on the interstate. You are moving pretty fast. You know, you are just keeping up with the traffic. And as a last precaution, you decide to look behind you and realize that someone is in your lane that you didn't see before. If you hadn't looked, you would have hit them and caused a major accident possibly causing damage to not only you and your vehicle, but theirs as well.
Life is much like this. We race down the autobahn of life to make it to our next destination. But where are we going? Why? For me, my travels usually take me where I think I will find satisfaction, or comfort, or acceptance... it's the next thing that will bring me contentment and happiness. Now that could change on any particular day, month or even season but it's the same most of the time. What about you? Do you know why you are "traveling" to the places you are going? Do you arrive at your destination only to find that your sunny and warm "Florida" ended up rainy and windy and cold?
I would do better to take time to reflect this year and make sure my travels have purpose in the first place. Daily. To learn from where I have been. To explore why I traveled a particular road to begin with. If I have traveled a road of bitterness, I need to see if I corrected and merged into the lane of forgiveness. If not, I had better make a U-turn and revisit it before I move on. If I am on the interstate of discontentment, maybe I should think about my stops along the way and get off on the nearest exit, and read the road map to find out where I took a wrong turn. You get the picture? Reflect and plan purposefully - I might need to adjust the route from time to time.
If our travels are rooted in selfishness, pride, and wordly idols, we aren't likely to enjoy the scenery for very long much less the destination. And the journey will be long forgotten bringing us little more than some temporary happiness. But if our travels take us where God leads, we will be completely content and satisfied, no matter the destination, we will travel with joy even with roadblocks and detours.
2015 is an open road. It's lanes, highways, and avenues have not yet been driven on. So I can't see what is before me. But everday that I drive it, I can look in my rearview mirror and I can learn allot about my travels. I can learn allot about myself if I take the time to slow down and think about where I have been and the route I took to get me there.
Reflection is a good thing. But you can hardly drive down a road while continuously looking in your rearview mirror. You can't move forward that way. So make sure that your rearview doesn't become your lifeview! Once you have checked out your rear view mirror, whether it is all clear, filled with major traffic, or if your traveling baggage is strewn behind you, pick it up, clean it up, and move on (confess 1 John 1:9). Also, get a traveling buddy (accountability) for the long journey. They can help guide you, warn you, encourage you, and help you reset your GPS to the correct address when necessary. Make sure God is your ONLY road map. Read His word for direction and pray daily that your travels are worthy of His Name. And when you start too veer to far off the road, let Him be your guide.
In 2015 I pray the God of hope, peace, and life will lead me daily into new journeys of faith and help me to travel where I am most satisfied in Him and bring Glory to His name.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:5-8
Matthew 5:23-24
Philippians 3:12-16
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