The ending of a year calls us to thought. It is a good time to take account of our life, to see just how we stand and where. Introspection is not wholesome as a habit of life — but he is living recklessly who never looks into his own heart to see if all is going well. We need to get our bearings anew now and then to know precisely where we are tending.
A wise thing to do at the end of a year is to forget a good deal. Leaving an old year is somewhat like moving out of an old house. Many things accumulate, which are well enough in their time and place — but which are not worth keeping after they have served their purpose. One of the best things we can do in changing homes is to make a bonfire of old, worn-out things.
There is much in an old year that we will be very foolish to carry over into the new year. As we grow older we ought, at least, to grow wiser. We have done many things this year as the outcome of inexperience or of folly. However, we may excuse ourselves for these acts, since we did not know any better — there will be no excuse for us if we continue the same follies when we do know better.
The science of living is not to make no mistakes — but not to repeat our mistakes. Yet some people do repeat their mistakes over and over, all through their life. We would better do more wisely.
There is a sense, also, in which we should forget even the good things we have done during the year. Some people live altogether too much in their past. They pat themselves on the back when they have done anything worthwhile and are content to go many days on the strength of the bit of self-congratulation.
There are men who cherish very sacredly every memory of their own good deeds, their commendable acts, their charities and philanthropies, and every word of praise spoken of them by others, so that not a scrap of the precious glory ever can be lost. Some men keep scrap-books of all press notices of them and their work and all printed references to them and commendations of them.
Those who are intent on making the most they can of their lives find little time for such blissful brooding. The moment one piece of work is finished, another is calling them. They learn to fill each day with the largest usefulness they can crowd into its hours, and then to close the day as one closes a book which has been read to its last chapter and is now to be laid away.
The Apostle Paul writes: “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14, ESV). This reminds us to leave even our best accomplishments in God’s hands, trusting Him to bring a greater harvest from our efforts.
So our duty is to keep our face always to the front. We have nothing to do with time that is gone. We cannot re-live it. If we have wasted its opportunities, we cannot recall them. All we can do then is to ask God to forgive our mistakes and overrule them, bringing good out of them even yet, while we go on to new and better living.
We should also leave behind all grudges and unkindly feelings — all memory of hurts received from others. Many people are thoughtless. Even good people say and do things heedlessly which cause pain to gentle hearts.
The Scriptures exhort us not to let the sun go down upon our anger (Ephesians 4:26). If we ought not to carry any bitter feeling out of a day that is gone, much less should we take over from an old year into a new one the recollection of anything unloving.
Let us leave the thorns — and take only the roses with us into our new life. We should never allow a crumb of love to be lost. All the gentle and kindly things of the year, we should keep and cherish. But it is not the will of the Master that we should carry with us the memory of anything unloving. We are taught to forgive the hurts we receive — all that is unkind or ungrateful in the conduct of others toward us.
A new year should mark a new beginning of life. As Paul encourages us: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8, ESV).
J. R. Miller (1840-1912) was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain.
