I remember walking into my first session with a new psychologist. I was utterly overwhelmed with the reality of my condition. The weight of trying to white-knuckle my way through life had taken its toll. Things were not right in my world, and I had no idea where to begin.
In the following visits, we would talk a lot about my past, my life growing up, and all of the stereotypical things a psychologist should talk about. What didn’t come up was how I was feeling at that moment. I understood that my history and childhood were important, but I was profoundly struggling in the here and now. I was dying for some tools to give me relief in the moment.
To say I understand why we tend to avoid discussing the past would be an understatement. I relate to the frustration towards counselors or psychologists who insist on focusing solely on the past when we need help in the here and now. After fifteen-plus years of dealing with anxiety, what I have learned is that we have to look back to move forward.
In his book Chazown, Craig Groeschel guides readers through an exercise to help them discover their life’s calling. In one of the exercises, Craig instructs readers to use sticky notes to write down key events in their past that shaped them into who they are now. Later, these sticky notes are used to create a timeline.
Last week in the Overflow Community, we made our timelines. Individually, we spent time looking back to move forward. In our community group meeting on Sunday, we took these a step further and shared them. The past events that have caused so much pain became a place for connection.
The exercise was challenging, but the hard work paid off. As a small group, we learned about each other’s past and grew closer to God. Moreover, we now have a tool to help us move forward. It won’t be easy, but taking steps like this will help us move toward a place of healing.
