I don’t know about you, but I’m not much for nostalgia.

Regardless of how great something was… whether it was a season of life, or major life event or just a fun experience… I rarely find myself pining to “go back.”

I like looking forward… into the unknown… and trying to be as open as possible to whatever God might bring my way.

That being said, I think there is great significance to spending some intentional time reflecting on our past whenever we are also thinking about our future. I think it gives perspective. It speaks to trajectory. It provides a bigger context in which to better understand questions… and answers.

But it’s not as easy as it sounds… is it?

The Ancient Israelites were a prime example of this for me. As we read through their checkered story within the pages of the Old Testament, it is so easy to see (all these years later) how they often failed to remember, and learn from, their past — the lessons relating to their obedience, and disobedience, to God — and how that failure produced patterns of failure in present and future generations.

I know I don’t want to fail to learn from my past. I want to be a good steward of it — the good, the bad and the ugly.

So here are 12 questions I’m asking myself as I launch into 2012:

Looking back…

1. How did I get here? More specifically… what were the events, experiences, relationships  and ideas that served to shape me over the past year?
2. Where did I see God at work? At home? On campus? In my life?
3. How did I experience “success?” Personally? Professionally? Relationally?
4. How did I experience pain or loss? How have I dealt with this? Is there more work to be done here? How will I keep from getting “stuck?”
5. How was I obedient to God’s call? Did I readily make myself available God’s leading? Did I seek it out? Were there times I turned a deaf ear to God’s lead? If so, why?
6. What could have made the past year better? There is a lot that could be considered here, but for the sake of making this a profitable (and not harmful) time, allow God to bring things to mind… take some time to reflect on each, maybe write somethings down, and then move on.

Looking ahead:

1. Where is God leading? This is different from our own hopes and dreams… it requires listening for God’s direction. It involves a willingness to hold a blank calendar and/or agenda — our lives — before God with the intent of allowing God to fill it and use it.
2. What changes do I need to make? Based on the past, what intentional changes need to be made — because if we’re not intentional about our past, we’ll likely repeat it.
3. Who are the people I need to spend time with? Who are the mentors I need to seek out and sit under? Who are the peers I need to sharpen and be sharpened by? Who among the next generation do I need to spend significant, intentional time investing in?
4. What are my hopes and dreams for the year ahead? If it fits with what God desires, what are the things I’d like to accomplish? What are the personal and/or professional dreams that I’d like to see take root and produce “fruit” in the year ahead?
5. How do I need to prioritize my time? This might be the biggest question of them all… because time is probably the greatest commodity of our age! As I desire to be the person God wants me to be… how do I need to spend my time? What needs to become a priority for me this year? What needs to remain a priority? What needs to be cut from life? I must remember that I can’t do it all. And if I attempt to do “too much” of it… I will likely do very little of it well.
6. Where do I hope to be a year from now? This question might be a bit of a stretch, but I believe it to be worth spending some time with… Personally, what changes might I hope to see in myself? Professionally, is there a promotion, transition, new degree or something else I might hope to start or complete or achieve? Relationally, where do I hope to be with some of my most significant (or even new) relationships? The skies the limit on this one!

So these are some of the BIG questions I’m asking as this new year begins! I’m hoping to spend at least a half day with each set of questions…

How about you? 

How are you listening to, and learning from, your past?

What are your hopes and dreams for the year ahead?

How are you making use of this hinge-point in history?