
As the Fall of 2024 began, a new season was emerging for me. With it came a new word ‘reflect’. Are there times in your life when you hear a still small voice repeating a word you just can’t get out of your head? I believe it's the Spirit of Counsel giving me an action word that I need to pay very close attention to. Over time, I learned to get the meaning of the word to gain understanding so I could then practice it to operate in it.
Defining The Word
In looking into the definition of reflect, I found that there are several meanings of this word using Dictionary.com, but the one most fitting as a verb is definition number 5:
Reflect – to think, ponder, or meditate
In identifying the meaning of this word, now I know what to do, but what am I to reflect on? My first thoughts were about my 2024 year and the various ways God showed His goodness. For example, each day He gives us a new mercy; He keeps the Earth spinning on its axis; we don’t fall off the Earth while it’s spinning because He set gravity in place, and so on. When I thought about this, I realized my list would never end because His goodness is infinite. As a result, I had to narrow down my list and reflect on those additional extraordinary circumstances where God displayed His goodness. What five things could I include on this list? Let’s create a list together.
Reflecting: Favorable Instances
As I dove into the oceanic depths of my mind, a swarm of memories began to emerge toward the surface. A big smile stretched across my face as the major occurrences that stood out in 2024 were evident to create my list.
List of five displays of God's goodness
A new CEO for my employer who emphasizes employee morale.
Growth of Created For Greatness outreach program.
Release of my second book Mama Knows Best.
Ministry responsibilities solely at the church campus I attend.
Travel to Greece.
What five things did you list?
With each one of these recollections, I could easily reflect on God's goodness. In that time of reflection, the one thing that stood out the most was when I started praying about them.
Prayers began:
Employer – June 2023
CFG – 2022
Book – 2023
Ministry – 2023
Greece – 2022
I believe focusing on when I started praying about these concerns was a reminder that answers to our prayers will happen in God’s perfect timing as they align with His will for our lives. Whether we pray continually or lay them at the altar of His feet, the Lord hears them, and they will not go unanswered. What prayers have you prayed before 2024 that were answered last year? If you are still waiting, be encouraged…God is faithful.
Reflecting: Adverse Moments
To be candid, there were some unexpected moments throughout last year that I would consider unpleasant while going through them, but when I reflect on those times, I can see the constructive elements in each one. We often tend to focus on what we would consider negative or bad situations. Naturally, we crave positive or good things to experience joy. But what if anything we count as negative is in fact positive from God’s perspective? Just as everything that looks good isn’t always good for us, maybe some situations that seem unpleasant at the time aren’t necessarily bad for us or could be for our good. Can we experience joy from an unlikable situation that God allowed to happen? I believe this is possible if we set aside time to reflect on that occurrence and trust Him who is faithful. It’s not easy to be content in all circumstances but it’s worth practicing living in a place of daily joy despite the circumstance.
When you reflect, what do you see?
Comment below or email me…let’s help each other reflect on the goodness of God.
I loved the practice of reflection here that you walked us through, even incorporating how you use your prayer list to reflect on God’s goodness over the process. ❤️🙏🏾
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