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Forty Day Impact Challenge » Day 16: A Spiritual Check-Up

RE:NEW - We're calling YOU to set aside 40 days for the Lord!

Day 16: A Spiritual Check-Up

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Feb 2, 2015 Adult (English), Impact 2015 0 Comments

As 2014 came to a close and the new year came upon us, I couldn’t help but give God praise and thanks for His many blessings that He has showered upon my family. Our God is a faithful God and continues to demonstrate His love and patience with me. I have not been as faithful as I would like to be in the way I serve Him. I decided to submit myself to a spiritual check-up similar to my annual physical.

During my physical, my doctor usually performs a series of tests and examinations, and then asks questions to see how well I did on my diet and exercise program. Based on my answers, the test results, and his examination, he either tells me to keep up the good work, or lets me know what I need to do to keep my health management on track.

In the same way, I asked the Holy Spirit to come into my heart to perform an “annual” spiritual check-up. This check-up offers me the opportunity to examine my spiritual life and to see where I have fallen short in my Christian walk. The result of my check-up was humbling as He showed me many areas I need to work on. At first, I was discouraged with the results and had a great sense of guilt.

But as I meditated on His words in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland,” I was encouraged and energized to move forward and to continue following Him and doing His will. I asked Jesus to help me learn from my mistakes this past year and to accept His grace and forgiveness.

I am glad our God is merciful and that He forgives our trespasses and mistakes. Despite our inadequacies and unfaithfulness in the past year, He remains faithful and provides us a new beginning every New Year. Let us continually check in with the Holy Spirit, and submit ourselves to an “annual” spiritual
check-up to allow Him to redirect us to a new beginning this New Year.

Reflection Questions:

  1. Are you willing to reflect on the year and have a spiritual check-up to see what God has to say about your Christian journey for the New Year?
  2. What is the Holy Spirit revealing to you today?

 

Written by Gil Tam. Artwork by Carol Li

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