God is the greatest teacher in the universe. He began when He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I can image He shared with them what He wanted them to know about Himself along with how He wanted them to behavior while living in the garden. The most painful and consequential lesson was what obedience looked like. Adam and Eve learned that lesson the hard way!God continues to teach us today. He uses our life experiences and relationships to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), to transform our minds (2 Cor. 3:18), and to renew us in knowledge of Him (Col. 3:10). God also teaches us through the tutorledge of His Holy Spirit, who lives within us (John 16:13).
As I reflect on 2012, I am always obligated to assess my spiritual growth the past year. To that end, God has put it on my heart to develop a list of the “Top Lessons God Taught Me in 2012.” While I didn’t initially assign a “specific number”, it did result in a list of 20 items–and the list continues to grow. For the purposes of “sharing” I will list my top 10 items. It’s been fun reviewing the Scripture God has led me to memorize and become part of my personal “rhema.”
- What it means to forgive.
- How to prayer daily for those who “do spitefully use and mistreat you.”
- The value of Christian community (outside your local church)
- I don’t have to have it “my way”!
- What it means to love like God.
- Daring to believe God for greater things than I can imagine.
- How extraordinary the gift of salvation really is and to read Scripture about it daily.
- God’s Word is the final word.
- What submission to God’s will looks like.
- Learning to silence myself, listen for God and follow His leading.
Like Paul, “I do not claim to have apprehended.” (Phil. 3:13) I will continue to embrace these lessons and learn from them until either The Rapture or God calls me to heaven. Now it’s your turn. We will make it easy only asking for three bt feel free to further expand your list for your own “spiritual review of 2012.”