What I have learned in the Past Year

Solomon wrote down life’s lessons he had learned in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.  We do learn from experiences we have gone through but it is important to learn from others experiences as well.  We often think we don’t have anything to share with others, but we do.  I can tell you, from experience, to pay attention to what you put in your pot of soup. 

They say that you are never too old to learn.  I have to say that I agree with that statement.  I am learning more about God than I have ever have in my life.  I’m learning some things about myself that I would have never discovered had I not gone through the experiences over the past year.  I am a better person as a result of these lessons learned.

A long time ago I learned that writing down thoughts and ideas was necessary for me. It gives the thoughts in my head a concrete place to exist and makes it easier for me to express myself in a rational manner. 

So taking the time today to review all of the scratches of my thoughts that I put down on paper has been enlightening to say the east. What I’ve discovered is that we are all on a journey through life and during this journey we will be presented with lessons to learn. These build on themselves, so you have to pass one life lesson before you can move on to the next. Sometimes you may repeat the same lesson for many years before God gives you a passing grade and you get to move on to the next lesson. I know there were several times in my life where I was stuck in that very situation.  God kept trying to teach me and I was too stubborn to listen and learn.

So as I sit here and I wonder…what can I say about what I have learned over the course of the past year?  What could I possibly write?  So here goes…I will attempt to share some of the things that God has taught me over this past year. (In no particular order)

• You are never alone, and there is never trouble that is beyond help.
• The worst thing that you could do in life is to dishonor God, yourself or your family and then living life without setting it right.
• Without God, life’s storms are too strong to withstand.
• Wealth and fame are an illusion.
• The only times I’ve been truly miserable is when I was lying to myself or to others.
• There is no experience that is bad—experience just is. It is what you do with that experience—will you use it to shape your life for the better, to become a stronger person, or will you allow those experiences to smother and destroy?
• Always have a picture on your desk of someone you love and admire.
• Don’t let life pound over you wave after wave. You’re not a rock. Learn to seek  shelter on Christ the Solid Rock.
• Learn from the tides and the currents of life.  God is directing them.
• Choose to sail—refresh, and do not drift through life.
• Live life with intent.
• I am that I am is the most powerful phrase in any language as it is the name of God and never take it in vain.
• The Lord lives and is personal, and He loves; He’s always there to help.
• We have to train ourselves to hear Him—like a muscle, the more we use it, the louder He becomes.
• Serve Him, serve Him in all things.
• Stand where He wants you to stand, where you have a purpose.
• Life is hard, and then it gets harder but every second of life is worth it.
• Always say what you mean and mean what you say.
• Turn the other cheek.
• Believe in what you believe to be true.  Not because someone has told to believe…but because you have proven it to be true in your life.
• Freedom and rights are given to man by God—they are His, we are the guardians. 
• Refine manner. Gentleness, meekness, kindness will always be the currency of any true value.
• Stuff doesn’t matter.
• It’s never too late to change.
• Forgiveness is divine.
• The atonement is real.
• You are worthy.
• Hell is real.
• We can have a life and an eternity of regret if we are not careful to keep our regret debt low.
• It is never wrong to do the right thing.
• Learn to love those that you don’t even know or may not like.
• Read the Scriptures everyday because they are alive—He speaks to you through them.
• There are no coincidences in life.
• Sleep hard but sleep less.
• Pray on your knees.  My most effective time in prayer is when I am on my knees.
• To whom much is given, much is required.
• Never want anything too much—you will pay too high of a price one way or another.
• Someone you meet today is afraid or suffering.
• Always tithe.
• Never let the sun go down before saying I’m sorry for your wrongs.
• Life does go by too fast.
• Keep a journal—write what you think.
• The Lord’s house is a house of order. There is order in all things—find it.
• You will have very few real friends, cherish those that you do have.
• Things will change.
• The hardest thing to do is to admit failure—to admit weakness, but only the very strong do.
• Fasting without prayer is a diet.
• I’ve learned that comfort isn’t always comfortable…and though God is ever-present in our time of need, it doesn’t always mean that things are going to ‘feel’ so good…or even tolerable.
• I’ve realized that for the Lord to be close to the ‘broken-hearted’, then the ‘broken-hearted’ must feel unspeakable pain.  I’ve felt the crumbling of my very own heart. I am sure that I have broken God’s own heart with my sin and actions over the years.  He loves me regardless of my sin.  This is a hard lesson to learn.
• Most of the random acts of kindness I’ve seen come from the most unlikely sources.
• I’ve been appalled at the complete absence of empathy from other believer’s when someone they know fails in their spiritual walk.
• True comfort has very little to do with ‘feeling good’
• I have learned to be more reflective…
• I am very grateful for the people in my life.
• I am very grateful for my health.
• I am grateful for my Church and my friends there.

This list is just a few of the things I have learned over the past year.  It is definitely not complete and I hope to be able to learn a lot more as the years go by in my life. This past year has indeed been one of much learning and I want to continue to have my heart and my mind prepared for what God will have for me to learn.

P.S: Sometimes, we get so caught up in the busyness of everyday living that we forget our quiet time with God. As Christians, it is essential to always set aside time each day to convene with God. Read His Word, talk to Him and enrich our knowledge of Him and what He wants us to do.