Reflections Of The Old And Reinventions Of The New

Every New Year brings a time to reflect on all that the past year has brought. It is always a mixture of both good and bad tidings, of victories and sometimes defeats. But every incident showcases the faithfulness of God interwoven none the less. As we reflect and say goodbye to yet another year we open up the hope of new possibilities with reinventions to ourselves for what the new year will bring. This is the time to reflect, reinvent, and renew our hope in a wonderful loving Father God.

Reflections Of Old

Reflections of our past don’t have to only include what 2021 brought into our life. They can go back as far as we care to indulge to reflect on. I once heard a sermon where a incredibly wise and thought provoking statement was made. The speaker pointed out that we are often captured and held by a past event that is disabling. I always presumed that it would be a crime, injury, horrible error, or incredibly mournful event that would cause anyone to not be able to move forward.

However, this speaker also spoke that we are also sometimes captured and held by very good times as well. “Mary Hopkins sang, “Those were the days my friend. We thought they’d never end.” But they in fact do end and staying there mentally or emotionally does no good. Either type of holding on to the past is equally disastrous to any blessing for the present day we are in. No one can change or live in the past. It doesn’t matter whether its a good or bad event that captures and disables our heart. Each present day must be recognized for the potential of good we can do in it.

I reflect on past youth, strength, stamina, and adventurous spirit with a much older viewpoint now. It is critical to guard my heart against either entrapment. I cannot be what I once was. Nor can I allow myself to be held prisoner to my many past mistakes or to the errors in judgement I might have made. I have to allow the forgiveness, grace, and mercy of God to have its work in me. In my reflections of the old I have gained the wisdom to renew hope in God daily. I know He will never leave me nor forsake me, even as I age, in good or bad health, and with all my weaknesses. This is the blessings of reflection on the old.

Reinventions Of New

We reinvent ourselves many times over in the course of our lifetime. How many different jobs have you held since you graduated high school? Going from a person who is single, to married, to married with children, to possibly a single parent with children, to middle aged with no children, maybe to being a caregiver to aging parents instead. Each added or subtracted layer of responsibility has required some reinvention of new to who we once were.

Heading into a new year just screams reinvention. 2021 held some incredibly difficult times to overcome. Covid-19 has been an ongoing trial. Many have not been fortunate enough to come through to have the blessing to see another new year. Reinvention of who we are and what we stand for is required to move forward into 2022. What great lesson(s) have you learned through your self reflection? Did the lesson make a meaningful impact on your life? Being alive and able to serve the purpose and capacity God created you for in every season is the blessing of reinventing new in you.

Personal Conclusion

Through my personal reflections as I have aged, I have increased understanding of the value of my hope and faith in a personal relationship with Jesus. Second to this, I understand more fully the brevity of life and the incredible value of all the people that God has placed in and around me. I have learned to be more forgiving of myself and others when faulty judgements cause sorrow and grief. I have allowed God to use the hardships of my past to reinvent me to be more giving, loving, pliable, and usable in whatever coming trial it is needed. We require all of our life experiences for God to mold us and make us into who we are intended to be. Both dark and light threads are needed to embroider a beautiful tapestry. The same holds true for our lives.

We all have unknown expirations dates. Time is a precious commodity. We cannot afford to waste time being spiritually and emotionally frozen due to a past event. Reflect on the milestones in your life. Identify every stumbling block. Bring it to God and ask Him to help you forgive or be forgiven and move forward. Reinvent that stumbling block portion so you can live your life to the fullest. Turn each stumbling block into a stepping stone to overcome and help another person later. Every day is a gift given to us by God. What we do with that day becomes our gift back to Him. Happy New Year Sisters! Let’s make 2022 a better year!