If you have a young child in your life, you’ve probably received a few “treasures” collected during a walk or an afternoon outside.
I spent some time at a nearby playground with my one- and four-year-old children the other day. While we were there, I was handed a variety of leaves, rocks, twigs, and pieces of trash, accompanied by excited phrases like “Can you believe this?” “Keep this safe, please!” and “Look how beautiful!” I carefully put everything in my pockets, trying to match the excitement of each discovery.
By the end of the night, I had survived dinner, the never-ending ninety minutes between dinner and bedtime, and finally, everyone was asleep. I stuck my hand in my pocket and remembered—the treasures. As I emptied my pockets of crumpled leaves, dirt, rocks shaped like… rocks, and crushed flowers, I began sorting. What would I toss, and what could I display in our little treasure vase on the counter?
As I sorted, I felt the Lord nudge me. What if I took the same care in reviewing my day? What if I paused to consider what was worth holding onto, what needed a closer look, and what I could simply let go?
In the moment each treasure was discovered, it seemed like the most beautiful, shocking, important thing happening. But with a little distance, some were still beautiful and worth remembering, while others had lost their importance and could be let go.
As we enter a season that often encourages us to focus on gratitude, perhaps we can expand that practice beyond simply naming the things we’re thankful for. What might it look like to prayerfully review our days, inviting God to help us recognize His presence in both the beautiful and the ordinary?
What is worth holding onto? Where did you experience God’s presence today? What can you give thanks for?
What needs a closer look? Is there an unfinished conversation, an apology to offer, or something that needs a little more attention and prayer?
What can be let go? Was something that appeared big in the moment small with a little distance?
Psalm 139:23–24 invites us into this kind of reflection:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (NLT)
Perhaps at the end of each day, we can take a moment to empty our pockets before the Lord. To give thanks for what was beautiful, examine what needs our attention, and release what we were never meant to carry. As we look toward tomorrow, we can trust the promise of Lamentations 3:22–23: God’s compassion never fails, His mercies are new every morning, and His faithfulness will meet us in whatever comes next.
