Introspection And Christian Spirituality

There is a very particular aspect of a Christian's personal past that he or she could greatly benefit from periodically acknowledging: it can be very sobering and healthy for Christians to reflect from time to time on where they were before committing to Christianity, as well as where they would be if not for that commitment.  What exactly a person may have experienced prior to becoming a Christian and where they would have ended up had they not become a Christian are things that might differ wildly from one individual to the next, but every Christian is capable of having at least a somewhat clear idea of what their lives might look like if they had not made that commitment.

Whatever a person's past or wherever they would be apart from Christianity, though, they are capable of benefitting from such a reflection.  Now, the purpose of this contemplation should not be to foster unnecessary sadness about the past or about possible futures that were never realized, but to solidify a sense of gratefulness for what has been gained.  Furthermore, the difference between the two motivations can be the difference between gratuitous guilt and spiritual freedom.  An individual's subjective state of mind will dictate which of these two outcomes would be actualized, and those with the strength to endure a look within themselves could even find sadness to have an empowering effect.

Regret over the past or sadness over what could have been can certainly be useful motivators for making sound decisions; the desire to avoid mistakes, whether familiar or new, can be a strong impulse.  Nevertheless, there is no reason to impose burdensome things upon oneself if they are likely to hinder one's spiritual or general psychological health.  There is nothing inherently dangerous about dwelling on past mistakes, but it must be done in a way that does not spiritually cripple the person engaging in the contemplation.

Fixating on past errors long after one has moved on could be detrimental to the pursuit of the spiritual thriving that Jesus suggests in John 10:10.  Christian life, if Jesus is referring to a holistic flourishing, is not intended to be an affair devoid of subjective excitement and fulfillment.  Thus, caution is called for when examining one's past, something that possesses immense personal significance--and therefore a great potential to either comfort or frustrate.  This does not mean that reflection on the past is negative, of course!  It simply means that the issue, as with many others, is complex and multi-faceted.