October 19: Evaluate Your Life Day

 

October 19:  Evaluate Your Life Day 

Yup, believe it or not, a day has actually been set aside to do just that.  Evaluate Your Life Day was created by the people at Wellcat.com to encourage people to check out what’s going on in their lives, and to set things on the proper course. The folks at Well Cat notwithstanding, God’s word beat them to the punch by a few thousand years.

Passage after passage entreats God’s people to engage in regular and fearless self-examination.  From Lamentations to James, from the Psalms to Philippians, we are urged to “test” ourselves, to “examine” ourselves, and to “search” ourselves.  Why? 

Because the condition of the heart is notoriously hard to assess, and because the stakes could not be higher.  2 Corinthians 13:5 is a classic example:  “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  We need to be regularly reminded that Jesus is IN us, and we need to regularly search our hearts to confirm that He is actually there.  There is an obvious danger here.  Self-absorption is not recommended.  Constant worry about the state of our souls is not good.  But regular time spent with God’s Spirit, studying His word to reflect on the state of our lives is always time well spent. 

Psalm 119:59 provides wise and pithy counsel:  “When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies…”  And there is the key.  Our self-evaluation must always be rooted in God’s word.  The only standard to which we must compare ourselves is the perfection of Christ, not our friends or our world.  Least of all, ourselves.  This is why we are regularly cautioned not to think to little or too much of ourselves.  Jesus is the standard, and God’s Word is the guide. 

So today, take a moment, and reflect.  How is your soul?  What is your spiritual appetite like?  Are you getting enough rest and exercise?  What relationship needs extra attention?  Start today to make a regular habit of self-examination, looking only to Jesus and His Word as your help.  Only good will come of it.