I am home after two weeks on the road. The time away has been filled with great celebrations, good times with family, and indulgences in eating and exploring new places. As I come back I realize that this is an opportunity for a fresh start. It is a time where I can reload and reset.
As I look at what it will take to move forward, I am struck by the need for total candor and honesty. Life many before me, it is easy to wear blinders. It is more comfortable to look backwards through rose-colored glasses. The view is gentler, my heart is at peace, and the past and future seems to be somehow better than reality tells me it was and is. The trouble with filters is just that, they are filters that exclude what it takes to learn and be successful.
With a willingness to admit that it is never easy, I want to see and understand what worked and failed it in the past. I need to see all two hundred and fifty six shades of gray. If I cannot remember, then I know a source that will answer me prayer; “God, you know every sin I’ve committed; my life’s a wide-open book before you.” (Psalm 69.5) Assuming I am willing, Divinity will help me see the foundation I am starting with.
Life reminds me to make sure I see every part of the foundation. The reminder is that I often stop the review before it is finished. In the pain of reflection, I lose the courage to see myself. At the same time, I cannot see beyond my actions. There is a larger story that starts with those nearest me, including God. God’s view and actions are an integral part of this story. In it, I realize that in my failings and weaknesses, God acts as if I am a lost child that needs to be brought home. Nothing is worth more than me. There is no other priority that tops restoration. I am priceless, worthy of great sacrifices, and a member of God’s family. You are as well.
