The end of a year often brings reflective thoughts. For
most, a lot has happened in the last 365 days. I’m sure there have been a wide
range of heartaches and joys for all of us, on various levels. Chances are
there are things you want to remember for the rest of your life and other
things you want to forget.
Some of the biggest highlights of my year were the frequent traveling
to surrounding countries, the amount of people I met and relationships formed,
and the overwhelming presence of Jesus in my life.
In one years’ time I will have swam in three of the four
oceans of the world (Indian, Atlantic, Pacific). (I don’t plan on ever getting
close to the Arctic Ocean, in case you were wondering). I started my year in Cape Town, South Africa
and will be ending my year in Honolulu, Hawaii. Obviously, I set foot in quite a
few other continents, countries, and states along the way.
Although it can be fun to reminisce, and even important to
recall times of the past, I’ve discovered the importance of living in the
present and keeping my eyes on what is ahead. The phrase from the apostle Paul,
“…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” has
been impressed on my heart.
Basically, we are only promised this very moment. In fact, I
don’t even know that I will be finishing this post. (More than likely, I will
be). My thoughts should be concerned with living every moment for the glory of
God, ready for Jesus’ return, and sharing the excitement with those around me.
I need to be more excited about the present, more excited about the gospel, and
more excited about spending eternity in heaven. I need to be intentional. Is what I am doing, at this moment, beneficial
for me, for those around me, for the Kingdom?
The past is just that – it has passed. A lot of it (the
past) defines who I am, but none of it defines me more than God defines me. So,
as I remember the highlights of 2015, I’m choosing to focus on my identity in Christ
and I’m looking forward to another year with Him.
