What Have You Done This Year? How Have You Been?

My last blog post was about remembering what the Lord and you have done for Jesus over the last year. This blog is about what you have done for, and how you have been with, Jesus this year.

This is another Christmas tradition I have. It's analysis of the past year (and all my Christian life), review, and of my faith.

Before I continue, let me stress that it's far more important to be with the Lord. It's having your mind and heart focused on him--than to do any action for him. That's what matters most and above all. After all, we can do all sorts of what we would call godly acts, and never have our hearts and minds focused on him. They are rote acts for a checklist. 

Or, we can be focused on the Lord and his Word all the time. That's the being component of our faith and is what matters above all else. After all, we have to work for a living--in order to have shelter and food. So, while we work, we can be focused on the Lord and his Word. That goes for all the things we have to do: housecleaning, showering, driving, exercise, etc. We can be with him while we do other things. 

That's not to say acts of faith aren't important. They are necessary. The book of James reminds us of this. However, as we do those acts, our minds and hearts must be on him do they are not just for a check-mark to sign off on our to do list. 

So, that being said, it's important to reflect upon, and analyze, the past year of our walk with the Lord and the Word of God. This is where prayer journaling comes in to the equation. If you just answer these questions in your mind, you won't remember in 6 months, let alone in a month, what was said between you and God. 

PRAYER JOURNALING

A What did I do that worked well over the last year?

B What didn't work well?
C What all did I do to bring God glory this year?

D How close did I come to praying without ceasing?

E How close did I come to praying the Word, and meditating on it, morning, noon and night?

F How much time did my calendar literally reflect I spent with my Lord and his Word?

Now, answer questions A-F about the last two years, three years, five years, and every 5 years thereafter.

(Photo is from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026