Test Yourself

I believe that there is a lack of self-reflection and action in the wake of that reflection in the world today. I see it in all sorts of environments; work, school, social, and many others. And where I believe it to be in the world today, the reality is that it has been in the world since the beginning. The people seem to walk through life waiting to be told what is next for them and how to perform whatever it is that is next. Unless told, there is little to no action moving forward or engaging in change.

“⁴⁰Let us test and examine our ways,

and return to the LORD!” — Lamentations 3:40 (ESV)

Here I see that self-reflection, examination, and testing are all part of returning to, and more importantly, remaining in the LORD. It is in our review of what was that we are able to understand and move forward with what will be.

Lori is a World Cultures and History teacher at the middle school level and is always reminding me of the importance of the past and understanding of it to ensure that we do not make the same mistakes as we move forward. It is in those lessons from Lori and the past that I am able to remember and move forward with change, not only in my own life, but in the world around me as well. I take my learnings from what happened and bring it forward to impact the now and future.

This learning from what happened is vital to the self-reflection and examination needed in my ensuring that I return to and remain in the LORD. I have to test what I know against what is known and remember that the LORD is always and never ceasing.

“²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

²³they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

^24’The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,

‘therefore I will hope in him.’” — Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV)

It is in the test against what I know that I am able to find the truth. I have to remember to engage in the self-reflection and examination to “understand” things as opposed to simply “receive” things. It is in that understanding that I am able to truly believe and return to the LORD and remain in Him throughout the duration of my time.

What does your self-reflection look like and reveal? Are you even taking part in testing and examination of yourself? What if you were to test and examine against what you know with the goal of returning to and remaining in the LORD?