…Introspection Time with JBM
AS the year 2021 clocked in, shouts of jubilation coupled with colourful flickering in the air and the sound of fireworks were experienced in my community. Cross-over church meetings and shouts of victory as the countdown into the New Year was done were witnessed.
This definitely brought sighs of relief to some for making it to the New Year, and for others, tears of pain or regret depending on what 2020 presented to them.
It is common that with each New Year, people tend to set new resolutions in terms of self-development, business aspirations, family investments, academic aspirations and ministry among others. This is because a new year often brings a new sense of refreshment and determination.
However truth be told, resolutions for the New Year only tend to be worthwhile if lessons from the past year have been extracted accordingly.
This article is a reminder on the need to evaluate the year 2020 and what lessons or principles were presented whether through positive or negative experiences. It is through such lessons that one allows themselves to grow towards the hero they were meant to be; towards that atmosphere changer God expects them to be.
This stems from one of the philosophies I hold dear, that life’s experiences, whether positive or negative, always present gifts of lessons and principles worth embracing for an epic performance.
But much more, the reality of this philosophy lies in Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV):
’ Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know’.
Granted, 2020 will go down as one of most devastating years ever in global history. Covid-19 as a pandemic pushed all sectors of life to another level whether high or low, and challenged human culture and technology to another level.
With more than 61.8 million reported cases in December 2020 and 1.4 million deaths globally since the start of the pandemic according to WHO, human beings are gripped with fear more than ever.
This article lays a brief foundation to the topic of lesson extraction from life’s experiences in the year 2020. Part Two in the next edition focuses on highlighting a few critical lessons submitted by various participants, with a brief analysis of what they entail.
It is worth mentioning that there is a lot we do not know and only until God begins to reveal the unsearchable or secret things will you realise that there is more to life than you realise.
Robin Sharma once said: ‘It is in your greatest trials that you discover your greatest strengths’.
To kick-start this, from my experiences of the year 2020, a few critical lessons worth sharing include the following:
That everyone in your life deserves to be treated with honour, because in them are seeds of greatness. Meaning their position may change any time, much to your amazement.
That you can confront your fears by simply losing yourself and being bold to step out. If you do, you tend to rediscover yourself and become more relevant to people around you.
That we are riding on borrowed time and thus must be deliberate in getting started with your dreams.
That acts of kindness such as a smile, a kind word among others are so inevitable for a fulfilling life.
That becoming a better version of one’s self is possible if you remain determined and consistent. This has been so real and practical for me.
That every day that is a gift from God reminding me that He has my back and that He orders my steps towards life’s hidden opportunities.
That when I call upon God in my situation, He answers and reveals things in ways unknown.
Share some of the lessons you have learnt in the year 2020, and how they have shaped your resolutions for 2021.
Author: Joan Beulah Mute (JBM), Lecturer at UNILUS
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