Something to Remember It By - Carrying Spiritual Growth from One Year to the Next
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“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching 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
My husband and I are big souvenir people, but not the t-shirt kind. More like the “oh, let’s do that when we get home” type.
From our autumn trips to New England, we returned with the idea of fodder shocks, those cornstalk teepees you see in all the history books. Now, every October our front yard looks like a Winslow Homer painting. From our time in London, we adopted the delightful habit of afternoon tea. On the many visits to my neighbor’s garden, I carried back creative license to add some whimsy to my own garden by working the random objets d’art into my flower beds. This guarantees interest to the space even if everything planted around it fails.
Our take-aways include new food discoveries, cultural traditions, and folklore from every excursion. The point is, on our travels, near and far, we always leave with something memorable from our time there. Something that promises to benefit and enhance our going forward.
In Philippians 3 Paul writes: “… but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
I wonder what Paul would think of the “something to remember it by” spiritual souvenirs we carry with us as we press on toward the prize.
In verse 13, Paul tells us he has left his old life before Christ behind, and encourages us, like him, to keep our eyes on the future without being shackled by the past. A bondage-breaking exhortation, and a gracious possibility because of the new life Christ offers.
But as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, every victory, every defeat, leaves us with new experiences to strengthen our faith. God uses our struggles to provide undeniable wisdom and insight to help us over the next hurdle.
The proof of the peace we find in letting go, the testimony of answered prayer, and the assurance of His strength when ours fails, are all evidence of the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work within us. These are the spiritual souvenirs in the life of a believer. As we embrace each new beginning, we dare not leave these treasures behind.
Paul’s life before his miraculous transformation as a follower of Christ, was not an exemplary one. But God allowed and equipped Paul for the future laid out for him. Paul’s exacting knowledge of the Law, once a weapon against the early church, became the authority from which he defended and proclaimed Christ. His reputation as an enemy of all Christians made his transformation even more miraculous. Instead of denying his past, Paul put it in its proper place and preached from it.
Before you step into this next year with the infinite possibilities offered you by the One who makes all things new, don’t leave empty-handed. Take one last look at the year you are leaving behind and bring along a little something to remember it by.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Be brave and consider the hard moments of the past year. How did God use them to carry you forward? In what ways did they strengthen your trust in His faithfulness?
2. Now take a moment to celebrate and thank God for the joyful moments and hard-fought- for victories in the year you are leaving behind. Let these encourage and motivate you as you step into His gift of a brand-new year.
