Reflection is painful for some and healing for others. It is our ability to self-critique that often points us in the right direction for the future. Imagine walking into the country and occasionally looking back to see what it actually looked like where you came from. Our scenery changes with each step and so does the perspective of our starting position. In the moments that deserve reflection we have one simple view point, our own. We do not have the privilege of seeing what we look like, our reactions or how we are being perceived. What we do have is the ability to notice the results of our actions or in this case each footstep and movement along the journey.
In relationships, professionally and even in leisure, we can reflect for long periods of time. The sticky place to avoid is when we reflect, and then reflect on our reflecting skills and never take another step forward. Sometimes, we didn’t like what we saw, maybe our actions were embarrassing or silly, maybe a situation got out of control and never really spoke to who you truly are. That is no longer called reflection, it is called regret. Regret sneaks in when we spend too much time reflecting and not enough time correcting.
Each week, following a talk I give at church, I will watch and take mental or physical notes on what I want to change in my communication style or expressed theology. Things like, only talking to one side of the room, being too monotone, a conclusion that made no sense to anyone (including the guy who wrote it), or just saying something that was really wrong. I have even taken time to start auditing how I have handled situations with others in the past and how to correct them for the future. Hopefully all this work will make me a better person, or at least more tolerable to my reflection times.
If it helps, remember the Apostle Peter. In one verse, Jesus called him the rock on which he was going to build his church. Ten minutes later he called Peter satan. You win some and you lose some. The feelings of a win can be really high, but a loss can be really low.
I could easily regret the larger mistakes in life but that is going to keep me from moving into correction. Take your hands off the past, it’s not yours to deal with anymore. Maybe the consequences are, but that is where correction will help. You are too valuable to yourself and your future to wallow in misery over something that is done.
Reflect and correct, before you begin to regret something your heart doesn’t need to own.
Hopefully this quick encouragement helps you today. If you would be so kind, please share this with your friends and maybe it can help them too.
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