Thursday, 24th December, 2020.
Bible Reading: Revelation 2:5, 2 Corinthians 13:5
Memory Verse: Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
Pema Chödrön said, “The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently”. You can’t afford to be carried away with responsibilities of life from January to December without taking stock of your life. Ask yourself some questions. Who am I before my Creator? What were the motivations behind all that I did this year 2020? How have I fared in evangelism and in intercession? Do I matter to what matters to the heart of God? Can my spouse confidently say I am a Christian, indeed?
To what extent did I achieve my vision and dreams in Year 2020? Have I been indolent? Have I being careless with the opposite gender, careless with my words, and careless in my personal walk with God? Have I grown at all, spiritually? I hope the love of this world has not silently but carefully crept into my heart? What are the secret sins I indulge? Do I have passion for the house of God? What about my relationship with my parents, spouse, children, neighbours and perceived enemies? How has the love of God grown in my heart? Does the love of God constrain me (2 Cor. 5:14)? How has my attitude been when annoyed, frustrated or offended? Do I act violently? No wonder Conficus said, “Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others”. Can my neighbours say confidently that I am a Christian by the way I handle burning issues in the neighborhood? Am I still on the same giving scale? My tithe and offering to God are still the same?
How often did I honour my biological and spiritual parents this year 2020? Am I still on the same financial inflow yet having many more financial outflows? What do I do to generate more streams of income? Have I been playing my role well as a parent unto my children and vice versa? Our generation is “too busy to think.” And many times, we are too busy without much corresponding results. Life is not a sprint race, beloved. Meditation is a powerful tool for self-appraisal and development. Even in the secular world, men like Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world set aside two weeks every year tagged “Think week” to be alone in a forest. That’s an intricate secret of his success.
The Bible says God is able to do above all that we desire or think according to His power that works in us (Eph. 3:20). Let’s create time to think meditatively and constructively so that we can be better than yesterday. Year 2020 shouldn’t go by without you making some definite changes. The new year will only be new to the extent you make it new. The ball is in your court. Refuse to live in self-delusion. Let’s round today’s devotional in the words of August Wil: “Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing”.
Quote: Self-analysis requires reconsideration of who we think we are. Self-awareness requires us to re-assess where we came from and where we are going – KilroyJ. Oldster.
Prophetic Decree: May you encounter light in your thinking process, in Jesus name.
Prayer Focus
1. Thank You Father for always wanting to make me a better person.
2. Year 2021 shall be greater than Year 2020, in Jesus name.
3. Holy Spirit, please open my eyes to areas of my life where I need a change, in Jesus name.
4. I come against any spiritual conflict in my mind, in Jesus name.
5. O Lord, make me a new wine skin that you may pour your new wine into me.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Timothy 1-4