Keeping things from the past?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tomo_pomo
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tomo_pomo

Guest
Is there anything Church says about keeping things from your past, like memorabilia?
Especially if they are from before Conversion?
Also if they are not in line with Christ?
I wonder if we decide to give all our life to Christ, than items from past keeps us attached to the past which can inhibit our surrender to Christ and afterlife where we cannot bring those items with us…
 
Can you be more specific about what you want to keep? I have my Protestant Bibles and there is no way I will part with them until I die. Nothing we own in life with go with us to the afterlife, so I’m not sure what you’re getting at.
 
Well we should aim not to be attached to anything but God himself so should be willing to give up everything and anything. Nothing should hold too much sway in our lives, so as to be able to take it or leave it with things, except God, who we can be attached to. We need to be ready to become detached from our possessions and in fact ourselves in this life in order to become rightly ordered, ie focused on Christ.
The line in your post ‘if they are not in line with Christ’ speaks for itself really… if you have something that isnt in keeping with Christianity such as a pagan icon, then get rid of it, in my opinion. If nothing else it may be a temptation, not so much only to sin or return to your former life, but to dwell on thoughts of said former life then perhaps indirectly to sin. I can’t give any better advice unless you say what it is.
 
Last edited:
There was a talk by an exorcist that said something along the lines of how the ‘stuff’ we have gives other things a claim on us, so be cautious about what you have in your home.

So, for example, if you have your Great-Grandma Mindy’s old ouija board— that’s probably not a good thing. Yes, you love Great-Grandma Mindy, but an ouija board isn’t going to be healthy.

On the practical side of things, figure out why something is meaningful enough to hold onto. For example, I often have trouble letting go of things because I have memories connected to them, and I’m afraid if I get rid of x, I’ll forget the memories attached to x.

Once you get into hoarding territory, though— the stuff is now serving as an emotional crutch. You have feelings/problems about x, and your stuff embodies those feelings/problems. And so it’s easier to accumulate stuff, rather than dealing with the problem that stuff is helping you cope with. For example, your child might die, and so you start taking in helpless kittens, because while you couldn’t save your child, you could save the helpless kitten that’s going to die if you don’t take care of it… and suddenly, you’ve got 100 cats in your house.

So, figure out what level of “keeping stuff from the past” you’re dealing with. 🙂
 
I see a lot of me asking what is it.
It is random stuff i acquired through the life, mostly given to me or in some kind of way i got them from ex girlfriends and friends. It can be like a message paper note, or a painting, some toy, memorabilia from the places i used to live etc…
Reason I am asking is sometimes when I look at it i get nostalgia, emotional. But, at that time I wasn’t follower of Christ.

Now when I have decided to give my life to Christ and only do what God wants me to do, only see and hear what glorifies God, I wonder if it’s good or no for me to keep stuff like that from past life?
Spiritually too, is it gonna hinder my surrendering to Christ?
To be honest, my heart says I should only carry with me what is for Heaven, but on the other hand its my life too…
I also remember the saint who wished that not even his bones remain on earth as to go completely to God…
Share your thoughts please, thank you!
 
You don’t need to give up anything (unless it’s something completely against God, like a oujia board, when giving it up would probably be better than not). We are certainly called to not be too attached to material things, but if the items even invoke memories that are positive, then that can be a good and helpful thing to keep around, especially when you have a rough day (if looking at them makes you smile). Not everything from before your conversion is against God.

If your trying to minimize, could you maybe establish a special box or shelf to place memorabilia, and have that be the only place for these “special” items (this will help you avoid at least becoming a hoarder, once the shelf is full, you need to start making decisions). Or you could take photos of them so you can still look at them.
 
Look at your stuff on a case-by-case basis.

If the memorabilia from your ex-girlfriend reminds you of a lovely person God created and put into your life, then that’s a good thing. If the memorabilia from your ex-girlfriend reminds you of doing cocaine at bars-- that’s bad. 🙂

It’s okay to remember where we’ve come from. It helps us see our progress on our journey, but also reminds us that we have a long ways to go. It reminds us that our lives aren’t a static point, but that we fluctuate in our spirituality, sometimes getting closer, sometimes drifting further, and that we need to perceive it as a journey and the development of a relationship, rather than something that exists permanently a certain way.

But another good thing to keep in mind is that we shouldn’t be looking internally, within, at ourselves, but we should be looking more at God, because he’s the Source of everything that’s Good. But sometimes, looking at God also involves the appreciation of the people and the moments he’s set in our path, that allow us to become the people we’ve grown into, and have changed us in x, y, and z ways.

So ultimately, a lot of it comes down to balance.

Good luck!
 
Why don’t you put all this stuff you have mixed thoughts about in a box/drawer and leave it untouched for a while and see if you miss it? Ask God what is to be done with it. Don’t look at it for a while and have patience and wait for God to answer even if no answer is his answer. It may be he will have you choose but if you keep it out of sight for some time, you will see if you have an attachment to it or not…ie can take it or leave it. It seems that you could do with some time not looking at it, either way. Be patient with yourself.

Just to correct one error in your thinking 😉 It is not your life, it is God’s life. Everything you have belongs to God, not to you. You are only borrowing it whilst you are here. This is being poor in spirit and we should recognise this as early on as we can so as to learn humility and gratitude. God bless you.
 
Last edited:
I agree with all what @midori said. In addition I would like to add that unless we are.dealing with non-Christian things like magic and all that, you are not obliged to just throw it all.away right now if it hurts. There is a time for everything. Just maybe put it away for a while… give yourself space. God is a loving Father. He does not throw you on water and demands you to just walk on it.
 
God, as it is known, works in mysterious ways. Even bad situations, acts, habits, thoughts, etc, can be instances through which God speaks to us and changes our lives. One is saved as a whole person, and this includes his/her past. Accepting faith in God does not mean rejecting the past --even its bad side-- since this would mean rejection of the instances and the paths that came to contribute to our faith. Through faith our past is “transformed” not rejected. Things from the past can be reminders, “souvenirs”, of the trip of our life, which is the trip that brought us before God. At least this is the way I see it.
 
Last edited:
Dont be too attached to memories. Try to live in the now they say, ie those I’ve talked to.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top