Retro

This is the time of year (end of June) that our church typically holds a yard sale. While we aren’t doing so this year our county will not disappoint. Yard-sale-ing is a ‘thing’ in Southern Maryland.

The date also brings us halfway through the year - a good time to reflect on my 2022 ‘intentions’, comparing where I am with where I ‘intended’ to be.

Those old church yardsales were sponsored by our youth and for years my own kids enjoyed helping with the event. They worked hard but also enjoyed frequent ‘finds’, including plenty of blasts from the past - or ‘retro’ items.

‘Retro’ can have positive connotations, with fashions from 30, 40, even 50 years ago coming back in style.

Credit: Noah Buscher on Unsplash

But as I reflect at this halfway point through 2022, there are things from the past I had hoped NOT TO resurrect or ‘bring back.’ The past is the past and, as Christian speaker and author Gari Meacham says in her books on freedom, “I don’t do that anymore.” (At least I don’t want to!)

My intentional focus this year is to seek REST in various areas of my life where my choices seemed to be interfering with such. For instance, overindulgence steals good quality sleep as well as mental and emotional REST from the guilt or regret I might feel. So that was an area I determined to leave in the past with the Lord’s help. The desire to control situations or even people steals my mental and emotional REST, resulting in worry and directing my energy and efforts away from blessing others.

Old patterns of control, gluttony, worry and inward focus are ‘retro’ habits I don’t want to see ‘back in fashion’ in my life, but unfortunately I do. I inadvertently slip when I feel disappointed, or even just off my routine. I too easily lose focus on the One who has the power to help me find true REST from my sinful self, the One who graciously gives me abundant forgiveness and hope. Instead I find myself trying to do it alone (another ‘retro’ mode of operation in my past.)

But God is gracious and does not leave me to myself. Time in His Word turns my heart from my ‘retro’ thoughts and behaviors and reminds me to look to the Lord my God who is in my midst, a mighty one who will save. I am reminded that He rejoices over me with gladness; He quiets me by His love; He exults over me with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17) Martin Luther quotes about this verse, “It happens for the righteous that the Lord allows them to be attacked (to have retro thoughts & feelings). . . and to be troubled by many evils, so that they be conformed to their King. ”

So, in reflection halfway through, regretting those ‘retro’ days or weeks of 2022 helps to turn my heart back to God. I am re-focused, determined, and humbled by His grace. May my weakness allow His power to shine through me to others as He conforms me more and more to my Savior Jesus. May my life be more ‘trend-setting’ for Him and less ‘retro!’