Self-Reflection Through Christ

Chad Reaves

In the fatigue of the new year, we spend a lot of time reflecting on the previous year and setting our eyes on the year to come. In this season there is a lot of comparison to others in order to set a trajectory forward on what we want to accomplish in the new year. This comparison can be a motivator for us to position ourselves in a way where we can accomplish those goals or resolutions we set for ourselves in January. This can be a dangerous game though; we can start to judge ourselves in a way that is not so much reflection as it is comparing ourselves to others. Seeing our lives through the eyes of others and basing our foundation for the new year on someone else's 2023 life. This comparison can look as if that person was more successful, had a better marriage, had a better social life, seemed to be happier and at points seemed to have a better relationship with Jesus. We tend to leave Jesus out of the self reflection of the new year and solely base our reflection as a mirror to those we value as a person that has it all together.

As January was approaching, I saw that within myself. While I was holding my value to those around me and as I was reflecting on the year, I was taking bits and pieces from others’ lives and molding them into a life I want to live in 2024. I was chasing this perception I had of a perfect life, a well balanced life that I could attain and succeed from. I began to lay a foundation for 2024 on the basis of someone else's life. As I stumbled into this chaotic molding of different flawed human beings, I began to realize Jesus didn’t have any space to speak into my life. Then the ultimate heart-sinker was that Jesus didn’t have any room to live in me because this trajectory I was setting myself for in 2024 was definitely not living in him.

1 John 4:13-16 gave me comfort in understanding that we live in God and God lives in us: “This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

With this I began to self-reflect through the love of Jesus, and began to deeply feel his love for me. Instead of comparing myself to others, I began to see God’s love for his children. It started to shift my perspective from looking at 2024 through the lens of the world and its definition of success, to the perspective of being founded in Christ and reflecting on my life through that lens. I found that my comparison to others was not from a loving foundation, but from a critical, judgmental heart. I was fearful of falling short of the expectations others might hold against me, but as I read further in 1 John it showed me this fear is not found in Jesus. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18a).

I encourage you as 1 John 4 encouraged me, to not see your year and the year to come through the lens of this world, but through the lens of Christ. As we embark on this new year in 2024, let us find the space to self-reflect on our lives through that lens. Be present in the fact that he has given us his Spirit to help guide us, and because of this he lives in us and we live in him. Instead of comparing ourselves to others and their successes, let us celebrate each other in Christ and celebrate the year to come by keeping our eyes on Jesus.