Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (NLT)

I can now fully appreciate why spring and fall are the preferred “clean out” times for garages and sheds. Against my better judgment and because I was just a bit frustrated by the state of it, I decided to clean out my garage two weekends ago - which, as you may remember, was ridiculously hot. I had given my wife some new storage containers to put decorations for the various (and better) seasons like fall and winter, so those needed to be put up — but it also left me with some containers for my things! I had a few other storage containers floating around filled with my stuff, so I figured maybe I could consolidate.

One of those older containers was labeled “Drew Memories” — and boy was it. Inside were trophies, letterman patches, a bib embroidered with “My First Christmas,” and lastly, my memory box. I don’t know if this is a thing that a lot of people have, but it’s just a small wooden box with 9 little drawers. Talk about nostalgia - inside were matchbox cars, bookfair treasures like those little poppers that you turn inside out and shoot up into the air, bracelets from events, and many other things. Going through each drawer drummed up memories and also told me a little about what I was like at those various ages.

When reflecting on memories, it’s like we’re taken back to another time. That time can be a good time or a bad time. A time of celebration or regret. In just the same way that the memories in my physical memory box told me a bit about what I treasured at the time, our memories — especially those laced with regret — can reveal something about us. Maybe something (or someone) we treasured in an unhealthy way, maybe an experience or decision that turned out worse than we had hoped. If we are honest, sometimes those “memories” aren’t so distant. Maybe they’ve been with us all along, impacting our relationships, our trust, and our understanding. I’m encouraged by Paul’s writing in Philippians 3 — poignantly penned while in prison. If your memories and regrets are like sandbags around your ankles, impacting the proverbial race Paul mentions, maybe you can be encouraged to press on, reach the end of the race, and step into the prize Christ Jesus is calling us toward.

Monday’s Reflection

This week, we’re going to work together to reclaim our memories and defeat regret. Today, think through what is impacting your decisions and your actions, and see if the past is hindering your ability to “press on.” If you need somebody to talk to about these types of things, our Care team is here! Get in touch today.