Rushing the Season
Most of us don’t end a year—we escape it. We sprint toward the next thing, hoping momentum will save us from having to feel, name, or remember what actually happened.
But God does not rush us past our lives.
Scripture offers a different invitation. David prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24). That prayer is not self-criticism. It is courage. It is a person placing their life before God and inviting truth—because they trust God’s heart.
Reflection is not self-absorption. It is how formation begins.
The Lie We Live By
“If I keep moving, I won’t have to look.”
We tell ourselves reflection is indulgent, unnecessary, or even dangerous. We fear that if we slow down, we’ll drown in regret or shame. So we skip the pause and call it faith. But transformation does not happen by accident. It happens when we stop long enough to let God show us what was true, what was good, what was painful, and what still needs healing.
God Is Already in Your Story
Before you move on from 2025, let God walk back through it with you.
Not to shame you. Not to tally wins and losses. But to reveal where He was present—and where you were protecting yourself.
Sit with these questions. Pray them slowly. Answer them honestly.
- Where did I experience God’s goodness this year—even in small or unexpected ways?
- Where was I stretched, challenged, or exposed? What required courage, humility, or truth-telling from me?
- Where did I hide, avoid, numb out, or disengage? What patterns showed up when things felt hard?
- Which relationships grew stronger? Which ones need repair, boundaries, or attention?
- What did I learn about myself this year? What did God reveal about who He is?
Don’t rush to fix anything. Just notice. Awareness is the beginning of freedom.
This Is How God Grows Us
Here’s the truth most of us resist: growth is not clean or linear.
You may see moments of progress followed by familiar failures. You may feel like you took two steps forward and one step back—or like you’re standing in the same place you were a year ago. That doesn’t mean nothing happened.
God’s work often looks like growth rings in a tree—slow, quiet, deep, and mostly invisible until years later. What matters is not how impressive your year looks, but whether you stayed engaged with God in it.
Practice: Turn Reflection into Prayer
Let your reflection become an act of worship.
Name what was life-giving. Grieve what was painful. Honor what was lost. Give thanks for what was gained. Bring all of it into the light of Jesus.
God’s posture toward you is not disappointment—it is invitation. He is forming you, not condemning you.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
This kind of reflection is difficult to sustain in isolation. We need spaces where honesty is welcomed, where truth is named, and where God meets us in real life—not curated spirituality.
If you’re ready to stop running, stop pretending, and engage your life with courage, we invite you into the deeper work—through Crucible men’s or women’s retreats, or coaching.
Don’t rush into the next year unchanged.
Pause. Look back.
And let God lead you forward.