A Life Examined (Philippians 3:13-14)

On December 29, Pastor Jeff McLain preached "A Life Examined" from Philippians 3:13-14, urging believers to reflect on their spiritual journey and press forward with determination towards God's calling. This message emphasized the importance of forgetting past failures and distractions while striving for the ultimate goal of eternal life in Christ.

Who we are together.
River Corner Church is a growing church community of everyday people who gather to worship God, follow Jesus, and journey through life together.

What we practice together.
Our small church community is uniquely caring, simple, laid-back, and intergenerational. As a church, we want to be a welcoming, safe, and healing community for those who are seeking, hurting, or need a place to belong. Our practices are contemplative (reflective) charismatic (Spirit-driven), conversational, and informative. The times we share together are intentional and intimate, and a mix between modern and traditional. We want to be a place in which love and honor are lived out, where humility is central, and where hospitality is woven into the threads of our community. There is room at the table.

When we gather together.
River Corner Church gathers weekly on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM to worship and experience God, study the scriptures, journey through life together, and partner with the Holy Spirit. We meet in a simple worship meeting house at 524 River Corner Road in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. You are welcome as you are, just be yourself. There are other times that we hold small groups, events, and more.

Our Pastoral Leader.
As the pastor of River Corner Church, Jeff McLain leads our church community and helps others to think differently about Jesus, life, and everything in-between. Jeff also serves as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission, where he works with those facing homelessness and poverty. Jeff, Katie, and their three wander-filled daughters look to lead quiet lives. Committed to lifelong learning, Jeff is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Kairos University and completing a Master of Business Administration with a focus on Executive Leadership at City Vision University. These academic pursuits complement the two masters he completed earlier at Fuller Seminary. Jeff has a passion for baseball, boardwalks, beaches, bays, and books, but above all, his greatest joy lies in spending time with his family and guiding our church community on our journey of faith together.

Learn more about us at rivercornerchurch.com.

Transcript

This is the last Sunday of the year. As we approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on the journey we’ve walked over the past year. This can be good for individuals and church communities. If we were to talk together as we look back on our years, there would be both wins and losses, fears and reassurances. There were many moments of joy, challenge, growth, and even sorrow. There have been moments where God’s whispers felt close and moments in which we felt God had never been further away. 

I suspect as we prayerfully reflect on our circumstances and situations over the past year, we can also recognize how God has been present in all of them - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Through such reflections at the end of the year, it can become a time to consider how our faith has been tested but also deepened, where we've seen God's hand at work, and where we might still need healing or transformation. As we reflect on the past year, we also look forward with anticipation to the new opportunities God will bring in the year ahead. The end of the year can become a time to trust that God is always guiding us toward a greater sense of intimacy with him, but also into a greater sense of purpose, love, and hope in this life. 

Our calendar is filled with holidays and rhythms that provide opportunities for reflection and realignment. These natural rhythms and seasonal celebrations prompt us to reflect on God's stories, faithfulness, the beauty of creation, past journeys, and future provision. Similarly, Israel had annual feasts and festivals, such as Hanukkah and the Feast of Tabernacles, and others, all designed to help them remember God's faithfulness, reflect on their history, and anticipate God's continued provision. These were times and seasons to be intentional with our reflections. In the same way, our calendar can serve as a tool to cultivate regular moments of reflection on God's work in our lives. Our calendar rhythms should call us to be intentional with our reflections.

If we are not careful to pause and reflect, life happens to us. John Lennon of The Beatles is often quoted as saying, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." This famous quote reminds us that if we aren't careful and don't take the time to slow down and pay attention to what’s happening around us, we risk missing out on life. We can easily get caught up in looking ahead or daydreaming, only to find ourselves disconnected from the present moment. It’s important to establish regular habits—monthly, quarterly, and annually—to examine our lives, ensuring we don’t overlook what God is doing or saying to us. To examine where we need alignment and surrender. The philosopher Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." I believe this means that examining our lives helps us discover beauty and meaning rather than letting life pass us by. Similarly, author Margaret J. Wheatley wrote, "Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences and failing to achieve anything useful." In other words, without taking time to reflect, we may find ourselves worn out, disconnected, and at the end of our lives without a sense of purpose.

Sand dunes

There are many of those we call church fathers or pioneers of the faith who make the same argument from a Christian perspective. It is from these individuals that we get many thoughts and teachings on the importance of spiritual disciplines. They emphasized the importance of an examined life, seeing it as essential for spiritual growth and alignment with God's will. They believed that self-reflection, confession, and intentional spiritual practices were necessary for Christians to deepen their relationship with God and live out their faith authentically.

For instance, Augustine in his work Confessions often reflects on his own past, examining his sinful actions and the grace he received from God. 

John Chrysostom emphasized self-awareness and repentance as central to Christian life. Hewarned against living thoughtlessly or without self-examination, which could lead to sin and spiritual decay.

St. Gregory of Nyssa also argued that self-examination was essential for spiritual progress. He spoke of the need to "cleanse" the soul through reflection and repentance, seeing this as a continual process of growth toward God. Through such actions, you should see things you normally could not.

These early Church Fathers, along with many others, consistently taught that self-reflection and examination were not only necessary for personal salvation but also for growing in virtue, resisting sin, and living a life that faithfully responded to God's love and calling. An examined life, in their view, was a life of conscious alignment with God's will, marked by humility, repentance, and a desire for ongoing spiritual renewal. This is what the end of the year can bring to us.

There are three questions I often ask myself during times of reflection—whether in spiritual direction, moments of meditation and reflection, or times like these when the calendar prompts us to pause and consider. I share those three questions with you, three questions that usually are formulated something like this:

1. Where did the Holy Spirit grab my attention or highlight something for me?
    
2. What would Jesus desire me to live out as a response?
    
3. Who has God placed in my life to resource me as I respond and to help me stay committed to that response?

Scriptures

As we approach the end of the year, I thought Philippians 3:13-14 would be a good passage to focus on. This passage from Paul to the church in Philippi is both encouraging and also gives us a framework for end-of-the-year reflections.

At the beginning of Philippians 3, Paul is warning the believers about false teachers who focus on things like outward religious rituals, such as circumcision and claim that these make someone right with God. Paul tells the Philippians not to trust in these outward actions or in their own achievements because they don’t matter when it comes to truly knowing Christ. Paul explains that the real joy and security come from having a personal relationship with Jesus, through a Spirit-filled way of life, not from following the rules of others. Paul reminds them that true righteousness comes from faith in Christ and the change that the Holy Spirit brings into our lives.

Follow along as I read this short passage, Philippians 3:13-14 from the New International Version. Philippians 3:13-14 reads like this:

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

What I see Paul doing in this passage, is giving a framework for reflection. I suspect Paul’s words are coming out of a season of reflection in his own life and he is passing that on to his friends in Philippi. 

Passage

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul uses culturally relevant language that resonates with the people of Philippi, particularly in reference to athletic competition. Philippi was a thriving city, strategically located along the Via Egnatia, a major Roman road, and was shaped by its history of civil war battles. Many retired soldiers settled there, and the city itself was designed to reflect the glory of Rome, complete with theaters, forums, and bathhouses. Philippi, like much of the Roman world, was steeped in a culture of competition, from its Greek heritage to its time under Roman rule. The language of athletic games was commonly used by speakers to illustrate various points, and Paul takes advantage of this familiar metaphor in his reflection to the church in Philippi. 

Paul, in a humble yet significant move, acknowledges that he has not yet attained perfection in his spiritual journey. This is crucial, especially after he just refuted those who were promoting their own supposed perfection and knowledge. Paul admits that, despite his wisdom and discipline, he has not reached the ultimate goal. Paul emphasizes forgetting what is behind and keeping his focus on the finish line. In the ancient Greek races, runners would follow a straight path and return, keeping their eyes fixed on the finish line. Paul draws a parallel, urging believers to keep their focus on the prize ahead. He contrasts earthly rewards, like the Olympic palm branch, with the eternal prize of heaven—a life with Christ. For Paul, the ultimate goal is not an earthly achievement but the heavenly calling of Christ’s return and the fullness of life with Him forever.

There is an invitation to examination in Paul’s life. We are forgetting, we are forging, we have a final place in mind. This is an ongoing work in Paul’s words. Paul says, this is something I do, implying it is an ongoing act of reflection and intentionality that he practices.

In that practice in Philippians 3:13-14, Paul talks about “forgetting what is behind” as a conscious effort to not let past experiences, both good and bad, shape his present spiritual life. Nor the things we have picked up along the way. This includes his Jewish heritage, past successes and failures, as well as his journey as a Christian. The past is important, but sometimes it is the past for a reason, and though it has shaped us, it cannot slow us down in the race now. Paul recognizes that looking back too much can hinder spiritual growth, much like what was happening with the Galatians, who were tempted to return to old ways of thinking. To forget, in the biblical sense, doesn’t mean to erase memories but to stop letting past actions or regrets have any hold over the present. Paul is choosing not to let his past influence how he moves forward in his relationship with God. Instead, he encourages us to focus on moving ahead, like an athlete pressing forward in a race, eyes fixed on the finish line. The race for Paul symbolizes the Christian life, with the end goal being eternal life with Christ. The prize is not something Paul can earn by his own efforts, but it’s a result of God’s calling and grace, which he answers by faithfully running the race. Our part is to keep pressing forward, staying focused on the goal, and relying on God’s strength to finish the race.

Practice

At the end of the year, taking time to examine our lives, perhaps through the lens of Paul's message in Philippians 3:13-14 can be incredibly helpful. Such an act encourages us to reflect on the past and see where it might be holding us back; it encourages us to focus on what God is doing now and to press forward with a clear goal in mind. Just like an athlete training for a race, this practice helps us stay intentional, shed distractions, and stay focused on the prize of a deeper relationship with Christ and the eternal life that Jesus has promised. It’s an opportunity to realign ourselves with God’s calling and grow in the strength that God provides for the journey ahead.

A Spiritual Discipline

The Ignatian prayer practice, a spiritual discipline developed by Ignatius of Loyola,  and practiced by many church leaders and members over the years, offers a framework to focus on personal reflection and spiritual discernment, inviting individuals to encounter God in a deeply personal way. One of the key elements is the "Examen," a daily practice where a person reflects on their day, recognizing moments of God's presence, as well as areas where they may have fallen short. This prayer practice encourages gratitude, self-awareness, and openness to God's guidance. It often involves reviewing the day, discerning God's movements in one's heart, and asking for the grace to grow in faith, hope, and love. Overall, Ignatian prayer aims to deepen one's relationship with God by being more attentive to His presence and promptings in daily life.

The Ignatian prayer practice is used to help individuals grow in spiritual awareness and discernment, allowing them to be more attuned to God's will in their everyday lives. It often includes a variety of prayers, the most well-known prayer being the "Examen," which is typically done at the end of the day. The Examen includes five key steps: first, recalling gratitude for God's gifts; second, reviewing the day to see where God was present; third, reflecting on moments of joy or challenge; fourth, asking for forgiveness for shortcomings; and fifth, seeking guidance for the future.  In other words, you take time to reflect on God’s goodness throughout the day. You look for where God was present with you, considering both the moments of joy and challenge and how they affected you. You then offer worship for the good things and ask for forgiveness for the times you missed the joy or responded wrongly. Finally, you make a plan for the future—how you will do better tomorrow. Through this practice, many, including Ignatius, have found that it helps cultivate a deeper awareness of God's work in their lives and fosters a greater openness to God's direction.

Conneciton

In the resource How is your Soul by Phil Strout, he suggests the question “How is your soul,” is a question that we need to ask regularly and should do so in daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual rhythms of reflection. However, also with our family and work lives in mind, etc. He suggests that the examen provides a good way to see how our soul is doing and how we may have developed blindspots to areas of our life. In doing so, we echo Paul who said, I know I haven’t got this all figured out yet. I am not yet totally living into the fullness of what Jesus wants for me. However, I am learning what I need to let go of. I am reminding myself of what I need to hold on to. I am aware of what God is calling me towards and I am forging on with that in my sight alone.

The end of the year is a time for examen. 

End of the Year Examen: A Reflection for River Corner Church

Inspired by Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 and the spiritual discipline of the Examen, I invite you to walk through a simple reflection that can guide our hearts toward deeper awareness of God’s presence in our lives and prepare us for the year ahead.

This week take time to process the yearly examen offered by Phil Strout in the How Is Your Soul Resource (which is available free by googling it).

1. PRACTICE REFLECTIVE STILLNESS Become aware of the Presence of God.  Quiet your heart, and listen. In this moment, become present to Jesus. Now, begin to reflect over this past year. Ask the Spirit of God to begin to list out moments in each season that impacted you. Jot them down in your journal what you need to let go of. 
2. PRACTICE REFLECTIVE GRATEFULNESS Review your year with gratitude. Seeing through a lens of thanks, appreciate God’s gifts in each event of the year that has come to the surface. Now, take the time to give thanks for God’s presence in each event, for comfort in distress, for courage found, or for an opportunity to be Jesus to someone. Write a prayer of thanks for the past year. Write what you need to fuel you as you forge on towards the prize.
3. PRACTICE REFLECTIVE HOPELook toward tomorrow. Move toward expectation. Ask God to shine light on this next year and the path ahead. Resolve to grow. Now, take the time to talk to God about the New Year, and your hopes and dreams. Ask Him to make His dreams your own. Journal any ideas you have for growing spiritually this next year, and any commitments you’re willing to make toward that growth. When done, consider sharing them with someone close to you. Write down what God is asking you to forwards toward as part of your journey.

Through this reflection, we align ourselves with the heart of God for the year ahead, committing to continually examine our lives, to let go of what holds us back, and to move forward with faith, hope, and courage, just as Paul encouraged the Philippians. May this Examen be a tool for spiritual growth and renewal as we step into the new year together. It is a tool that lets us see what has slowed us down on our journey and inhibts us from experiencing the fullness of what Christ has for us in our lives in this moment, here and now.