13 Questions for the New Year

It seems that this is the season for questions, ponderings, and musings.

Several blogs that I follow have been releasing end of the year reviews or perspective (thinking ahead) questions for the new year. And I admit, some of them are thought provoking, like:

• Is my family closer at the end of this year? Am I a better friend at the end of this year? If not, what needs to change immediately?
• Give yourself a grade from 1-10 in the following areas of focus for 2012: vocationally, spiritually, family, relationally, emotionally, financially, physically, recreationally.
• Where do I want to be at the end of 2013 (a year from now)? What do I want to have accomplished?

But the problem with these reviews/goals is that the focus and outcome is often upon myself and my own ability and resource. So as we enter a new year, would you consider sitting down and allowing the Holy Spirit to prod and press you with these 13 questions for the New Year:

1. What is the biggest thing I have seen Jesus do in my personal life this year?

2. How has God used me this year in the lives of others?

3. How would I define my relationship with Jesus? Passionate, intimate, ever-growing, dark chocolate rich, mediocre, dying, stagnate? Am I more in love with Jesus and more intimate with His Spirit than I was a year ago?

4. If I were to be honest, how has my time in the Word been? Where have I been studying lately? What Truth has God been revealing in my life through His Word? Note: our time in the Word is a spiritual barometer for our lives. If I walk up to you and ask what you have been studying and what God has been revealing to you, and you find it difficult to answer … it says a lot about your spiritual life.

5. How did the Bible live through me this past year?

6. Am I enjoying prayer?

7. Is my life defined by the traits of honesty, purity, integrity, character, servanthood, giver, honorable, kind, loving, dependable, trustworthy, faithful, joyful, peaceful, courageous, meek, bold, patient, truthful, and the like?

8. Am I a spiritual leader who takes a stand for Truth, rescues the weak and downcast, helps the helpless, is a friend to the weak, a restorer of justice, a protector to the widow and orphan?

9. Do I ponder the fulness of the Gospel daily?

10. What do my resources (time, talent, finances, attitude, thoughts, passions) say about my focus and priorities this past year?

11. Has God used me this past year to draw individuals into a relationship with Himself? In other words, do I allow Jesus to use my life and lips to be a witness and win the lost?

12. What do I want to see God do in my life this coming year? What areas of my life do I want Him to transform, reshape, or change? What is the kind of man/woman He wants to form me into?

13. Am I fully surrendered? Totally dependent? Completely given? Truly poured-out? Honestly set-apart? 100% sourced by the Spirit to live the bravehearted and Biblical Christian life that Jesus wants to live in and through me? Is the Holy Spirit real to me? Do I experience His source, power, mind, and attitude daily? Am I fully surrendered and dependent upon God to live my life or does my strength and resource come from myself?

May this new year draw you into the abundant richness of Jesus more than you ever thought possible.

I pray “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what [is] the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:16-21