I love to Spring clean. Call it a sickness if you will, but it feels so good to spruce up my home. I love to load up bag after bag of items to give away to others. Cleaning always brings a sense of accomplishment. The results visibly reveal a job well done. Part of the joy stems from me having the know how to clean and organize. I can complete the task easily and have fun the whole time. Sometimes, the process helps me avoid the chaos and mess in other areas of life. I lack the know how on the steps to take in order to "clean up" my messy situation. I see no fun in tackling the out of control life surrounding me; so, why try?
When cleaning up my home, I must be careful. My timing must be perfect, for I have four little hands that want to hang on to everything. These little hands hold tightly to items that have not been used in years. As I tackle their closet and pull out clothing that has not been worn in years and place it in the give away pile, they quickly decide it is their favorite shirt. I try and sneak a toy into the pile and all of a sudden it is the very toy they have been looking for the past few months. They have a hard time letting go.
So, I go on to explain that some kids do not have even one toy and would love to play with this item. I let them know that as we receive new clothes, we must give some of the others away to those in need. Sometimes this works; other times they disagree and do not want to see that item leave the house. What they do not understand is the item takes up space where something better could be placed. If their old toys and clothes remain in our home, we have no room for new. I find myself repeating this same scenario too often with my children. I just want them to let the old stuff go and make room for new.
Oh, how God says the very same thing to me. Spring cleaning is a must within my journey. I love to clean my home, but when it comes to cleaning up my life; I feel much different. God wants me to get rid of the old self and embrace the new life found in Him. I understand completely, until He wants to begin cleaning up that really old stuff buried deep in my soul. He reaches for that one person which I have not completely forgiven and tells me to clean it up! He grabs hold of a situation I thought I snuck by Him and says, "Oh no my dear, this one must go as well."
I find my two little hands grasping tightly to these things. Sure, I will let go of the easy ones, like smoking, drinking to escape, cussing, foul media, inappropriate clothing, etc. But, the anger, bitterness, pain, control and pride; Whoa! that is just too hard. I quickly avoid His command for me to let that go. Nope, too hard, not gonna do it. Why should I God? Don't I deserve to hang on to all of that? God, you just don't understand how hurt I was and how hard it is to be humble, kind, gentle and loving.
God simply refuses to listen to my excuses. He reminds me instantly of Jesus hanging on the cross in humility, showing kindness amidst all the pain and loving those who hurt him. He continues to explain that all I hang onto hinders my progress in the plan laid out for my life. If I refuse to let go, I cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit. I am filling my life with old feelings, bad attitude, sadness and pride. Therefore, no room exists for the blessings God waits to provide in my life.
Seek God today for some spring cleaning. Listen closely as He goes deep into your soul and reveals what must be removed. You may come against something which seems impossible to let go and heal. I urge you to remember that God can do more than you can even imagine. He provides strength to overcome hurt, buried sadness and pain. Let it go today. Spruce up your soul and feel refreshed. In Him, a new creation comes and the old self must vanish.
Our home can be cleaned within hours or days; but, cleaning our soul may take months or years. Be patient, you did not become this way overnight. Take each step in faith that God will do what He promises. Seek Him for wisdom, guidance and strength. Persevere in the most difficult times. Open your hand and heart to release all the yuck inside. He, then, can fill you to the fullest with the healing and blessings He holds. Make room for Him.
God, thank you for another day. Thank You for cleaning my soul. I don't know what lay ahead for me, but I clearly see I must make room for it. Continue to guide me in how to let go of all this built up yuck. Loosen my grip on the old, so I can grab hold of the new. Humble my spirit and open my heart to release the ugliness I hold inside. I love You.
Keep praying harder than the devil can work.
Sheree Craig
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