Healthy Retrospection

 

Introspection is a word heard more often than retrospection. The slang term used to be “naval gazing,” because introspection can become very self-absorbing without producing many answers.

Retro has to do with things that have already happened. Retrospection can be a good thing unless it simply becomes nostalgia, or a desire to live in the past.

Healthy retrospection is grounded in the present, with the past giving hope for the future.

I often enjoy retrospection with a purpose. Psalm 100:4 directs us to enter God’s Presence with thanksgiving, then move closer in with praise.

Engaging in retrospection expands my thankfulness. I learned to depend on God’s word (Lamentations 3:22-26) during a couple of stressful times in my life: (1) While fighting Stage 3 Breast Cancer in 2007, and (2) while being a caregiver, twice, after retirement in 2009. These events come easily to mind.

But I’m happy to say God is still keeping His word morning-by-morning and day-after-day. Those phrases remind me of a favorite hymn: *Great Is Thy Faithfulness. The **refrain is this:

 Great is Thy faithfulness; Great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

 Although this hymn was published in 1923, it was basically unknown until popularized by George Beverly Shea and the choirs at Billy Graham Crusades. The words were a poem written by Thomas O. Chisholm, set to music by Wm. M. Runyan.

Quiet yourself for a few moments and look back on your life. Do you need some "thankful ideas?" Try these:

Lessons Learned

Problems Solved

Relationships Healed

Physical or Emotional Needs Met

Spiritual Growth

Prayers Answered

A positive attitude is a healthy mindset. I'm thankful we don’t have to wait for one yearly official “Thanksgiving Day.”

Look forward to sunrise - - - it's a new day - - - filled with God’s new mercies. Engage in some retrospection, give thanks, then move forward in faith for that day.

*Great Is Thy Faithfulness; Then Sings My Soul, Robt. J. Morgan, 2003; Life Outreach Edition, p. 284-285.

**Refrain; Melodies of Praise; Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO; 1957, p. 216.

Relevant Advice

How many times do you have to hear the same advice before you take it seriously? One of my favorite Psalms is number thirty-seven. I have read it many times, in different translations.

It’s not a long Psalm, only forty verses, but the word “fret” catches my immediate attention. It occurs as part of a three-word phrase three times in the first eight verses.

When you fret, you allow yourself to worry or become upset over something. Anxious thoughts fill your mind, gnawing away, causing you to be disturbed or even angry.

If anyone had a reason to fret, I’d say it was David. He started out as a shepherd boy, was anointed to be king, but then had to wait for God’s timing. While waiting, the king in power made his life miserable. David and his supporting army were constantly fleeing for their lives, yet his faith in God shines clearly in the advice of this Psalm.

Read for yourself David’s words about fretting:

PSALM 37 (NKJV)

VERSE 1

Do not fret because of evildoers,

nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

VERSE 7

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

VERSE 8

Do not fret - - - it only causes harm.

Read the full chapter and you’ll see that David was convinced that trusting the Lord brings rewards now and for eternity. He also believed though the wicked presently flourish, they’ll find eternity to be just the opposite.

Do not fret is relevant advice. It’s easy in our day to stay disturbed over the economy . . . higher prices on food and gas, rents out of reach, and a medical system on overload. Yet David encourages us to choose our thoughts wisely, giving God a premium spot.

In place of “do not,” David advises “do this:” Trust in the Lord, do good, feed on His faithfulness, commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, rest in Him, wait patiently for Him, depart from evil, do good, and keep His way.  

Do not fret, but do live freely. You can read Psalm 37 and start following God’s Word today. If you don’t have a Bible, your cell phone can be a good source. My favorite app happens to be the YouVersion.

  

Seeds Anonymous

I’m not a gardener, so I have no advice in that area. I am a seed, however, just like you. Which of us has never felt like a dot-sized seed in the huge field of humanity?

One tiny seed journaled its thoughts:

                Page 1:  I am only a small seed and I feel like a tiny dot in this world. I know my feelings are based on my outward appearance. My importance lies on the inside, unseen but powerful. One day I will be planted, though I don’t know when or where. I do know I will grow at my God-given rate and my life will make a difference.

               Page 2:  Here I am---just a dot in this huge field, but I’ll remain in place, growing and producing what is within me. Eventually this field will be harvested and the grain distributed. My life will continue in a new way, but no one will know which life-supporting grain came from me.

      

 Page 3:  Harvest is over. This field has been plowed and my roots are resting in the sun. I lived a full life, did what I could, and even now I’m enriching this field for the seeds that will follow me. I’m still unknown, but fame was not my goal. I simply wanted the personal satisfaction of a life well-lived.

Day after day our world is blessed by unknown people. Like the little seed, they choose to remain faithful to their jobs, their families, their employers and themselves, living out their religious and moral principles.

Good deeds are important and will be rewarded. According to Matthew 6:1-4, Some people make it a point to let people know what they are doing. Earthly praise is their reward.

If we try to do good works without being noticed, our Father in Heaven judges the motives of our hearts and His will be a heavenly reward.

Albert Schweitzer, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1952, said, “The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

You are important. Together, as members of “Seeds Anonymous,” these shared traits can make a difference:

Kind hearts our gardens,

Kind thoughts our roots,

Kind words our flowers,

Kind deeds our fruits.

(Author Anonymous)

 

What's Wrong with Absolutes?

Many aspects of our life depend on them. Bakers would have a hard time creating their delicious treats without absolutes. They know eight ounces will always equal one cup, three teaspoons will equal one tablespoon, and a pound of butter will weigh sixteen ounces. They can create smaller or larger amounts from those absolutes, as needed.

No matter how you feel about it, another area that depends on absolutes is math. Before we ever reach the stage of algebra or geometry, we rest assured one plus one will always equal two, four times two will always equal eight, twenty take away five will equal fifteen, and thirty divided by six will always be five.

I often wonder why people reject absolutes? Take the Ten Commandments in Exodus Twenty, for example. We are advised not to murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet things that don’t belong to us. Can we say our world is improved because people choose to ignore these life-improving commands on an everyday basis?

According to a *poll published in 2021 by Gallup analytics, 47% of Americans rated U.S. moral values as “poor,” 37% as “only fair” and 16% as “excellent” or “good.” One year later would you say we have substantially improved any of these numbers?

We moderns seem to be copying an ancient scenario. Judges 17:6 and 21:25 both say, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Absolute truth remains the same in any context, but relative truth is variable . . . what is true for one person may not be true for another. Accepting truth as being relative or changeable, weakens the foundations of society. Whose truth can we agree upon?

Which of these do you think has abdicated personal responsibility for teaching moral values in our generation: homes, schools, or churches? What role do you play in any of these?

What’s wrong with absolutes? Nothing. In fact, our survival as a society may depend on them.

What are the absolutes by which you choose to live? If you’re clueless, Exodus Twenty can get you started.

I googled “today’s morality” and this one paragraph came up first; however, when I clicked on the tagline below it brought up a different article. 

3 Ways to Cool Your Jets

 

When warming up for takeoff, the power in jet engines is noticeable to everyone. On a personal level, have you ever heard someone say, “Cool your jets?” If so, you might have noticed an angry adult, ready to explode. 

Power used in the right way is a tremendous blessing. People purchase airline tickets, counting on those big jet engines to get them up in the air and on to their destination. 

Humans have fiery jets, too. They’re called emotions, and some people control them than others. 

If you would like to “keep your cool” more often, consider this easily-read advice. Psalm 37:8 (NKJV): Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret---it only causes harm. 

The nouns are what fire up our emotions.  

ANGER

Make all hot and bothered

Make one blow his top

Lose one’s temper 

WRATH

Fury

Vengeance

Madness

FRET

Suffer or cause annoyance

Disturb, agitate, or vex

Worry or be bothered 

The verbs, or action words, are what put the fires out:

 CEASE from anger: Stop, terminate, or discontinue it . . .

FORSAKE wrath: Relinquish, renounce, or abandon it . . .

DO NOT fret: Don’t indulge in worry, or let yourself remain anxious over something . . .

The Psalmist emphasizes that fretting, or worry, leads to harm. Some people actually make themselves sick with worry; however, I think anger and wrath buildups can also harm our health, and our relationships.

A habit is something we do without giving it much thought. The good news is that habits CAN be changed. Articles about this seem to agree on one thing: There is no magic number of days required to create a new habit.

The important thing is to desire change, then start working on your desired goal.

Help is available if you ask. Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Do you want to be healthier . . . improve relationships . . . develop better self-awareness? Then start learning NOW how (and when) to “cool your jets.”

Pursue Peace

Not everyone desires peace. All of history is filled with conflict. Even King David wrote I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war (Psalm 120:7 NKJV).

You can find whole books about peace, but I’m offering a few ideas, so let’s get started.

If you think of peace as absence of conflict, you’re on the right track. It could mean not arguing, not fighting back or not demanding your own way. But let’s look at some other options.

Psalm 34:12 (NKJV) asks a question? Who is the (person) who desires life, and loves many days, that (they) may see good?  

The answer is in verses 13 and 14 (NKJV): Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.

You must seek before you pursue. You won’t just drift into peace; it will require some effort. To seek means to focus on a goal and pursue it wholeheartedly.

Before mining was done with heavy equipment, gold miners went out with pans and shovels. Even a little gold was worth the effort. So, let’s consider four seemingly little efforts with peaceful payoffs:

1. Keep your tongue from evil: According to James 3:1-12 the tongue can easily set things on fire. It’s easy to speak without thinking, or to want to prove yourself right. Sometimes the only way to make peace is to agree to disagree.
2. Keep your lips from speaking deceit: Lasting peace never comes through trickery, duplicity, or partial truth. “White lies” are a myth. Truth will out and leave you squirming.
3. Depart from evil: Evil means different things to different people, but here it means avoid words that are harmful, malicious or mean. Dictionaries prove you have plenty of word choices, so don’t limit your mindset or vocabulary.
4. Do good: Use your words to build bridges, not walls. We humans will never agree on everything, but that doesn’t mean we can’t seek peace by being tolerant of, or truly accepting of, another’s point of view. Even a few words, spoken kindly, can have a positive impact.

To pursue peace requires effort. Detectives don’t solve cases by sitting at their desks, staring out the window. They put their feet on the ground and get moving, thinking, analyzing, pursuing their goal.

To pursue peace is such a worthy goal that even God takes notice. Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).    

Pursuing peace will not become a habit overnight, but consistent effort will pay off noticeably in time.

How Can I Pray?

First of all, let’s define prayer. Here’s the bottom line: Prayer is communication with God. It’s not that God doesn’t know what we need, but with prayer we invite Him into our lives.

Prayers can be formal or informal, written or spontaneous. Since God created languages, He's open to prayers from people in all countries. I grew up with the King James Bible, but was taught to pray in my everyday English language.

Here are a few simple guidelines:

1.       Approach God with humility, avoid praying to be seen by people.

Jesus taught this with a parable about two characters: A Pharisee and a tax collector.  One prayed to be seen, proudly listing all his religious accomplishments. The other tried to be unnoticed as he bowed his head and prayed, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:9-14)

2.       Prayer does not require wordy repetition.

Jesus said pagans thought their gods would hear them if they used many repetitive words. But He said our Father knows what we need, so prayers can be simple and direct. (Matthew 6:7-8).

3.       The Lord’s Prayer is a great model.

If you’re not sure what to pray, review Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV). I enjoy praying this in group settings, but sometimes I pray it on my own, using one sentence at a time to jump start my own prayers.

4.       Pray for the needs of others, as well as yourself.

Be alert to people and their needs. In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul made his request very simple: “Brothers and sisters, pray for us.” (I Thessalonians 5:25 NLT)

5.       Simple sentence prayers are heard, too.

Remember when Peter was walking on the water toward Jesus? He lost his focus, started to sink and cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached for him (Matthew 14:28-31). Remember one of the thieves crucified next to Jesus? He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus said, “Today you’ll be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)   

If you’ve considered prayer a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, think again. You can talk to God about anything, anytime, anywhere. What could be better than that?