Spiritual Reflection

Reflection is something that we all know how to do; we simply fail to take the time, and effort necessary to gather the necessary elements to our lives so that we can reflect on our spiritual journey.  What are the elements of personal reflection?  Well, they are the same for your life, as they are for your morning routine.  We need Light, a reflective surface, and focus.

Light – Simply stated, we need a media, through which, and by which we can accurately illuminate our lives.  In this case, the light we need is the Holy Spirit.  We must have a relationship with the Holy Spirit and ask that he will reveal our Journey (good and bad) so that we might know the true nature of what we have gone through, and be able to identify what we must do now, as a result of our past.  Additionally, it is important that we be able to see clearly, so our prayer to the Holy Spirit should begin by asking Him to give us the ability to see.  Our ability to see the truth is based entirely upon the gift of spiritual sight that only God can grant.  Ask Him to deliver that kind of insight to you, so that your attempt to reflect is not spoiled. 

A Reflective Surface – A reflective surface must contain a few distinct properties, so that it will accurately reflect that which it is being presented.  Therefore, we will allow these distinct properties to lead us to the proper reflective surface.  This reflector must be unable to change, because if it did, we would be forced to second guess the reflection in hope/fear that it may be different in a few days/months/years.  Additionally, This surface must be thorough.  The reflector must be something that will adequately sheds light on the subject in question.  Not so small that it fails to paint a good picture, and not to large that the important information gets lost with the magnitude of the picture.  And Finally, the reflector must work in concert with the Light.  It must be an object that has but one purpose, and that is to reveal that which the Light chooses to illuminate. 

With this information at hand, it is easy to surmise that the reflective surface needed for our growth is the Bible.  This may sound a bit cliché, but it is no less true.  The simple truth is, the Bible is the only object that will accurately reveal that which the Holy Spirit intends to display. 

Focus – this is simple.  We must focus on the Bible, and use the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make accurate judgments of our current situation, as well as, the journey that has recently ended.  However, it is important that we reflect on some of the pain, as well as the good.  Too often we focus our attention on the great parts of our story, but neglect to discuss the truly gut-wrenching elements of ministry.  How can we demand honesty from our lives, if we lie to ourselves about what we have gone through?

In the end, what we are really looking for is accuracy.  We must accurately look at the journey we have taken, in order that we can be able to move more effectively in the future.  The ministry of the gospel is not something that lumbers along regardless of the efficacy of its members.  The Lord requires that we be honest and diligent in the work that we put forth for His Church.  Let us then be serious about the care we take of ourselves, especially after a long and arduous trip.