Evaluating 2017....

We are quickly approaching the end of 2017…. where we can say that all that has been said and done in 2017 has been said and done.

As you look back over the year, do you feel good about yourself?  What criteria do you use to measure your success?   There are several options:

Are you financially stronger than you were?

Are you stronger spiritually?

Do you feel good about the way you interacted with your family?

Are you physically healthier?

Did  you reach the goals you set for yourself at work?

Did you learn from your mistakes and rejoice in your successes?

When I look at the above questions I can answer yes to three of them, a definite no to two of them, and a maybe to a couple.   But are they really the criteria that we should be using.

In a very old song by someone you have probably never heard of, Philip Sandifer sings these words;

But when it's all been saidAnd when it's all been done He'll ask meDid you go my way childDid you know my sonAnd when it's all been saidAnd when it's all been done He'll ask meDid you find your way within my Son

The last line of the song makes me think that we should use different questions to evaluate our lives.  Maybe I should be suggesting that you ask questions like this:

When you reached financial struggles, did you find your way within Jesus?

When you came across “dark nights of the soul” when you felt God was far away, did you find your way within Jesus?

When your family life was imperfect, when you felt like a failure and couldn’t reach your spouse, or children, or parents… regardless of how hard you tried, did you find your way within Jesus?

When you had physical struggles and medical issues this year and days seemed endless and the future looked bleak, did you find your way within Jesus?

When the goals you set at work seemed unattainable and you felt like a failure, did you find your way within Jesus?

When you made mistakes and struggled to forgive yourself, did you find your way within Jesus?

When you were on the mountain top, celebrating great success, did you find your way within Jesus?

Because when it’s all been said, and it’s all been done that’s the question God is going to ask of us.   Throughout this mind-boggling, complicated, pain-filled frustrating journey called life, did you find your way within my Son?