It happens like clockwork. Just like that, as we’re still in the afterglow of the Christmas season, the New Year looms ahead of us. Enjoy the weekend and perhaps a slow rolling start of the first week. But the hiatus will end quickly and with little mercy as January hits us headlong.

What Did You Learn?
Several decades ago, I told an older and wiser mentor/friend that I wanted to “grow up to be a wise old guy” like him. He laughed and pointed out that wisdom is gradual in coming and, in his case, took a long time.

There’s truth in the gaining of wisdom over time.

Though it doesn’t necessarily have to take a lifetime – a youth raised on the truth of Scriptures develops Godly wisdom and knowledge that equips one for all things in a lifetime.

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. – Proverbs 1:9

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. – Proverbs 9:9

While the world tells us that “the rich get richer” these Biblical Proverbs tell us that the “wise get wiser.” The wise listen and add to their learning, the discerning are the ones that get the guidance and they become wiser still. The righteous – note the Scripture is equating wisdom with righteousness – will even add to their knowledge gain.

So, like my mentor/friend, are you becoming truly wiser in your aging? Even righteous with wisdom?

Look specifically at this past year. Consider the learning, the discerning, the guidance. There should be an adding or uplift to personal wisdom and righteousness.

Was there growth?

Want Spiritual Growth?
During this time of self-reflection, consider what you have done this past year and by habit or trend will continue, or with clear and honest assessment will now stop and avoid.

At a time when New Year’s Resolutions abound and discernment of personal actions, behaviors and resulting self-promises are often kept at the level of fun and trivial, the discipline of year-end self-analysis is actually quite serious. While light and trivial promises may be jokingly abandoned by late January, spiritual maturity should drive one to commitments of deeper significance.

Like what?

Christ calls us to stay connected to Him, like a productive branch connected to a vine:

“Abide (remain) in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. – John 15:4

We’re to abide in Him – that is, connect and be with Him. Daily. All the time.

How Do You Do This?
So, really, how do you do this? Simply talk to Jesus in prayer – like a real person sitting next to you. That’s weird, you may say.

No, not really. I do it all the time.

And also by reading and studying the Word of God, the Bible. Not studying Jesus’ teachings – study the whole Bible. Anecdotal lessons without context or apart from God’s bigger story is like watching video clips of a great movie and thinking you’ve seen the whole picture. It’s a miss.

You think the Bible is too confusing? You don’t understand it?

No excuses – just start reading it. Or find a friend and read it together and talk about it as you go. It’s actually not hard. Begin with the Book of John in the New Testament. Read a couple chapters per day, or more, then cycle back to the Books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Then you can go read Genesis and the entire Old Testament and understand how everything leads up to Jesus in the New Testament.

Even after just reading the Book of John, you will have a very clear understanding of Jesus as the Son of God and someone to reckon with.

Someone worth talking to and connecting with personally.

Yes, if we, as Christians, or any human wanderer, are doing anything less than abiding in Jesus Christ, then we may very well find ourselves fruitless in life. Not a good place to be. Maybe one is rich in wealth and professionally accomplished in the world’s eyes, but foolish and lost in God’s eyes.

Who’s to judge? Actually, God.

What Are You Really Doing?
As the New Year begins, all of us should ask ourselves the ultimate self-assessment question: “What am I really doing?” 

Nothing of apparent substance and worth in this world should stack-rank higher than a deeper, more abiding walk with Jesus, the Lord God.

So what then? Are we to quit our jobs, become esoteric and spiritual heavyweights, unproductivie and worth no earthly good?

Of course not.

We are to operate fully in our strengths, our wheelhouse, as it were, deeply connected to the source and Father with that special and unique wiring that is you and me. We were created for a God-honoring purpose reflected in our gifts, talents and proclivities.

Operating outside of that design is a result of disobedience, neglect, selfishness and/or lack of understanding of Biblical Scriptures. Many simply believe the lies of a world that actually hates and uses them, not the Truth of the God who created and actually loves them beyond measure.

The good news is that it’s never too late.

And there is no condemnation for late-bloomers. I know because I was a late-bloomer. The surrendered life is a high-yielding life that convicts one to ask why one didn’t fully surrender earlier. It’s a human mystery that shouldn’t be.

It’s as clear as day in the Word of God.

Begin with that as you begin the New Year and relinquish control of a life that’s better off in the hands of a wise and loving God who knows you and has great plans for the rest of your days.

You’ll be blessed.

For a truly Happy New Year, walk in discerning wisdom, righteousness and obedience. 
_______________________________
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. – Proverbs 9:10-12

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Tags: growth, New Years