As we close 2023, let us take stock of this past year in retrospection with Rev Dr Casey Ng as he leads us to look back with confidence and learn from our past.
2023 is a remarkable year filled with momentous events, developments, and notable people:
– Emergence from COVID-19 pandemic
– Resumption of global travel
– Introduction of AI to learning, working, and chat
– Relocation to my new 3-room BTO apartment
– Reunion with friends whom I have not seen for ages
– Farewell to my mother-in-law who went home to be with the Lord
These events remind us of the words in Psalms 103:2 (ESV): “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” It is a call to remember and appreciate the remarkable happenings and people in our lives and in the world around us. I recall with gratitude the faithfulness of God working in and around us.
Beyond this, it is also a time to take stock of what I have missed and what to plan for the coming year. I took note of my past failures, blunders, and mistakes. As the veteran missionary, Charles Greenaway, recommended, I filed away such undesirable records in my spiritual journal under Lessons Learned: Silly Things I’ve Done in My Life! Such records of my past mishaps can humbly remind me of lessons learned and liberate me from committing similar silly mistakes in the future.
In addition, I set SMART goals for the coming new year. As Paul says: “But one thing I do: 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).
I have failed to keep up with some past resolutions because they were vague, unrealistic, and too open-minded. One of my aborted resolutions was to enrol in a course to learn how to design mobile apps. The resolution was noble because I could use the skill to design mobile apps to teach my classes. However, given the lack of time and necessary ICT (information-communication technology) foundations, the unrealistic goal prematurely killed the resolution before I could execute it.
Moving forward, I now pray and set resolutions that are SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, one of my SMART goals is to read at least one book or article per month on topics related to my personal or professional interests. This goal is specific (one book or article per month), measurable (I can track my progress), achievable (I enjoy reading and I can allocate time for reading), relevant (I can enhance my knowledge or skills), and time bound (I have a deadline for each month). By setting SMART goals, I hope to make progress in various areas of my life and work.
As I look back at 2023 and look forward to 2024, I am filled with hope and anticipation. I know that God has a plan and a purpose for me, and that He will guide me every step of the way as I pursue my SMART goals. I also know that I have a supportive network of family and friends who will cheer me on and help me out when I need them. I am excited to see what God has in store for me in the new year.
Let us look with retrospection:
Which past failures, blunders and mistakes in this past year that would you learn from? What are the things you recalled with gratitude? How would you use SMART to set goals? With hope and anticipation, what are you looking forward to in 2024?
Rev Dr Casey Ng (PhD, Asia Graduate School of Theology Alliance), an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God of Singapore, is the President of ACTS College, Singapore. He has served as an educational consultant, lecturer, pastor, and missionary for forty years in Asia and Europe. His passion is teaching the New Testament and empowering leaders through education.
