NEWS FROM THE HILLS
“WHAT IS TIME?—the shadow on the sundial,—-the striking of the clock,—-the running of the sand,—-day and night-,—summer and winter,—months, years, centuries? These are but arbitrary and outward signs,—-the measure of time, not time itself. Time is the life of the soul. If not this, then tell me, what is time?”
-Anonymous
The old year is creeping out tonight, tired and weary from spinning out its days. It seems such a short time ago that it appeared on the horizon, fresh and untried. We marveled at the broad expanse of time stretching out before us, but it passed so swiftly.
Each minute ticked inexorably by—one hour, one day at a time. Somehow we used all the year quickly, and now we teeter precariously on the brink of another new one.
Sometimes I wonder just what we have learned—individually and collectively. Will we travel the same familiar paths, repeat the same mistakes? Has putting in another year made us any wiser, or have we regressed? The ending of an old year tends to make a person reflect on the values (importance?) of our own lives.
There is irony in the fact that most of our knowledge and experience comes too late to do us much good. We learn (or sort of learn) how to raise children by raising our own. By the time we get an inkling of what it is all about, our children have flown the nest and are busy building their own.
They are not interested in our advice. They, too, must be free to make their own mistakes. But have you ever noticed that they feel quite free to point out the mistakes we made in raising them? Thus the meager knowledge that we have gleaned from personal experience is quite wasted.
The end of a year brings reflective thoughts. Looking back, we see changes we could have made; decisions that should have been different. Yet at the time, we did what we thought was right. How much better it would be to reflect on the beginning of each day—to pray and ask God’s help in living each day to please Him.
Then at the end of the day, instead of looking back and wishing you had been more patient with that older one, or more understanding with one of the little ones, you can thank the Lord for the opportunity to reflect His love.
Beginning a new year is frightening. Change comes so fast and our world is ever changing. Many times we stand bewildered at the kaleidoscope of changes that have come in our own lifetime. Many changes we have no control over, but we can control how we act and react and what we think and do.
The beginning of a new year is a perfect time to get rid of the clutter of the past. Letting go of these things is essential to our well-being and only when we do this can we live fully in the present. Old hurts and grudges are a real detriment to happiness. It may be that someone has really wronged you, treated you shamefully, or dealt with you unfairly. These things have to be released to the past or they will destroy a person.
Sometimes the hurt is so deep that humanly, we cannot forgive. This is where God’s forgiveness comes in. When we ask God to give us true forgiveness that we may extend it to someone else, he will flood the soul with love and a forgiving spirit that will cancel the wrong that was done.
Self-forgiveness is a necessary part of letting go of the past. We can beat ourselves incessantly over things that we have done and bitterly regret, but we cannot change the deed. Seek God’s forgiveness and turn loose of it. If people refuse to forgive you, let that go also. We cannot control another’s actions, but we can control our own. We cannot allow ourselves to become so tortured by past events that it affects our present lives. Turn loose of the past and build on the present.
Now we stand on the threshold of a brand new year. It is with some trepidation, and perhaps some fear, that we view its coming. Mingled with that is an anticipatory, excited feeling that good things are in store.
When we get rid of the useless baggage of the past, then we can fully live and look forward to the coming of each day. The future is uncertain, but there is One who holds the world in the palm of His mighty hand. To those who truly know Him, He is a mighty fortress, a strong high tower.
God is dispensing our days one at a time—to be lived as we choose. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know the One who holds the future. I know personally that God will keep the soul who trusteth in Him.
I pray that each one of us may find our place in God’s perfect plan, and use our days wisely.
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