Looking Back, Looking Around, Looking Forward

At Crestview, the church where I serve as Youth Minister, our weekly staff meetings always follow a similar pattern. First, we evaluate recent events. Then, we discuss what is coming next and how we can best prepare. Finally, we remind ourselves of what is on the horizon so that we are never caught by surprise. In other words, we look back, we look around, and we look forward.

As we come up on a time of year where many will be focused on resolutions, goals, and positive change, I think it is healthy for each of us to look back, look around, and look forward in our own lives. We all run the risk of falling into the routine of going through the motions, checking off boxes on our to-do lists, and becoming stagnant in our faith, careers, and relationships. As the quote many of us have seen on social media says, “If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backwards.”

So how can we do this? Let’s walk through each of these steps together:

Looking Back – As you think back on the previous year, what were the highlights? What were your favorite moments? What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I have many great memories from 2017. In January, my wife and I bought our first house. In April, I graduated with my Masters in Ministry from Oklahoma Christian. In September, I competed in a duathlon. I took teenagers to San Francisco, Oklahoma City, and New Mexico. I went on vacation with my wife. I helped my sister move into her dorm room overlooking the ocean in Malibu.

While those may seem like only the “big” moments, I also have several small memories that I will cherish from this past year, such as completing my first DIY project in our new house (which wouldn’t have been possible without YouTube), or taking a day trip to Austin with my wife and sister to get Amy’s Ice Cream. I’ll look back fondly on attending Oklahoma City Thunder games with my brother and friends, lifting weights with my brother-in-law, and Sonic runs with the students in my youth ministry. I am truly thankful for all the highs, lows, and in-betweens of 2017. It was a wonderful year.

My attempt at writing these things down is not to brag about how nice a year I had, but rather to help you think about the special memories from your own life over the past year. What did you do with your family? Where did you travel? What new friendships did you form? What new skills did you develop? What positive things happened this year that will affect your life going forward?

It’s possible that, for you, 2017 wasn’t the best year. Maybe you’re looking forward to the fresh start that a new year will bring. While I won’t pretend to understand your situation or the difficulties that come along with it, I hope that you might still find lessons or important truths from your experiences over the past year. I’ve come to realize that God is often closest to us as we experience trials and disappointments.

Looking Around – How do you feel about the current state of your life? Do you feel overworked? Are you bored? Have you grown complacent in the areas that matter most? Are you giving too much of your time to non-essentials?

Recently, I began to “look around’ in my own life. I started asking for as much feedback from others as I could. There were several things that I learned, but one characteristic that dominated the advice I received was this painful truth: I try to do too much on my own. In a sense, I’m a control freak. What I might defensively call “self-motivated” or “driven,” others were viewing as arrogant or self-centered. This limits the ministry that I lead because as I do too much without help, my talents may be showcased, but my weaknesses will also be obvious.

With this in mind, I am making a commitment in the new year to never be afraid to ask others for help. I have learned that part of being a good leader is working with people, and that if you don’t have people around you to work with, then you may not be the leader you thought you were.

What about you? What do you see when you look around? Have you developed positive or constructive habits over the past year? Or have you struggled with complacency, boredom, a lack of time, or a lack of motivation? What can you do in 2018 to get back on track?

Looking Forward – If you’re the type to make New Years Resolutions, now might be the time. What do you hope to see happen in your life in 2018? What do you want to be the defining moments of the next year? What habits do you want to create? Where do you want to grow?

In addition to what I wrote above, here are three goals I have for the new year:

1. I want to run a triathlon – I mentioned earlier in this post that I ran a duathlon earlier this year. As difficult and time-consuming as that was (and as much as I missed Blue Bell and Whataburger while I was training), I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything in the world. The feeling of crossing the finish line and receiving a medal was incredible – not to mention the physical and mental benefits of increased training. While I have taken the past couple of months off from this type of activity, I look forward to re-starting my regimen and preparing for another race (likely next summer).
2. I want to (finally) finish the Bible – In 2016, I made a resolution to read the Bible in a year. In 2017, I modified this resolution, committing to read the Bible in two years. This resolution will roll over into another new year; however, I am confident that this will be the year I finish. I have already read through the New Testament once, and I’m getting really close to reaching the minor prophets in the Old Testament.
3. I want to develop a new hobby that is technology-free – I spend too much time on my iPhone, laptop, TV, etc. Although I have no shortage of excuses to justify these obsessions (“I’m just relaxing for a minute,” “I haven’t checked ESPN all day,” “I’m just going to watch one episode,”) I long to find a fulfilling, purposeful hobby independent of technology. I’m not sure what this will be yet – I’ve considered drawing, playing guitar, and creative writing as possibilities – but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to decrease my dependence on technology in the upcoming year.

But enough about me. What will be your goals in the new year? Do you want to get in shape? Do you want to spend less time at work and more time with your family? Do you want to finish all of your assignments on time? Do you want to write a book?

God has empowered us to pursue our goals and accomplish amazing things with his help and to his glory. May we all have incredible stories to tell about God’s power based on what we experience in the coming year.

However you choose to approach this new year, I pray that each of you reading this article has a wonderful Christmas and New Years with your family, and that God will bless you in 2018 as you draw near to him.

About the Author:

Brady is the Youth Minister at the Crestview Church of Christ in Waco, TX and a student in the Mdiv program at ACU. He lives in Waco with his wife, Mary, and his dog. For more of his writings, visit bradyross.com.