This week I have been busy cleaning and reorganizing cupboards and cabinets. I have been cleaning them top to bottom. I have been checking dates on cans that seem to get pushed to the back. I have been looking through containers and storage bins and deciding what to keep, what to trash, and what to give away. I am an organizer by nature. If a home or office needed organized, my brain can look at a situation and right away I start seeing ways to put things together. If it hasn't been used in three years, it isn't going to be used by you. I do the same with my clothing. It seems most winters I do this, but this year, I went shelf by shelf. I had my container of Clorox wipes and cleaned everything. It is such a great feeling to be able to open a door and see what is inside and not having to move things around to find what I am looking for. Everything is in its place. I got rid of stuff I didn't use anymore. Somethings were from years ago and I never used them. They just simply collected dust. Somethings had expired dates by 4 years. Somethings were used when our kids were small, but that need has past. I made three piles. Keeping, Giving, Trashing. It took several days, but tonight I completed the task I set out to do this week.
While walking and praying about my blog this afternoon, still having no idea what to write, I asked the Lord to show me the post for today. I have come to not panic anymore when something doesn't come. It always does. So, why worry about it? Yet, it was Thursday and still nothing. As I made my last turn to come back home, I even turned my music off so I could clearly hear the words I was to hear. I didn't want to be distracted by the words my brain was listening. Within minutes, a smile came across my face. I knew. You see, my task wasn't complete, so I couldn't write about something that wasn't finished. I had to finish first.
While I have spent hours getting my home back in order, I have not spent hours taking inventory on my spiritual life.
I have been busy looking at what we have and what we need. My spice rack needed a good going through. Some had to be pitched. They were part of the four year expired list. They had expired and it showed. But we somehow pushed them back to the dark part of the cupboard. Two had even fallen down and a flashlight had to be used to see them. Some things had become dusty. They were still in good working order, but they had been neglected.
As I thought about my weekly post this evening, I realize that the same happens to our spiritual lives as to what happens to our homes. We get busy. It doesn't happen overnight. It is very gradual. There are things in my life that are still in day to day working order. I still take time to pray and try to read some part of scripture everyday. I volunteer my time. I share the good things that God is doing. But then there are parts that have been pushed to the back part. The part no one sees. You know, the words you should have said, the opportunities you passed on and now regret. The words that were said in fun to you, except you didn't find any fun in them. Now you carry hurt and anger whenever you see that person. You decide if you don't think about them, they will go away. Most days you can ignore them. But then one day, you realize you are starting patterns you don't like. You are sensitive in areas that didn't bother you before. The phone has stopped ringing, because people are tired of always getting a no or maybe later, but later never comes. I won't even list all the "good intentions" and when I have more time items.
Then out of the blue Someone comes along and gentle and quietly He shines a light inside that only you and He can see. For you see, He could see all along. He knew and knows the reason for your response. He knows why it is tucked away. But today is cleaning day. Enough is enough. He doesn't like to see you hide anymore. He doesn't like the downcast face. He wants to make things right again. All that needs to be done is to admit it is there, regret that it is there and ask for a change. It will come. It will take awhile, but it will come. Also, with change, we need to decide are some of the things we are doing worth keeping. If so, look at them with renewed energy and commitment to keep going. Some things need to be shared with others. You may have been more involved in areas that no longer require your involvement because you have moved on and God has something else for you. You may need to resign from a spot that you just held on tightly too, because of the attention it gave you, when really your heart isn't in it and you need to make that spot available for someone else God has waiting. Or maybe He is asking you to share the things you have learned and accepted about yourself, to share with others. Then there are things we simply need to trash. Bad habits. Unkind words. Jealousy. Envy. Laziness. Fear. Doubt. The list could go on. The expiration date has come and gone. You have been carry them long enough.
Just as we need to take inventory on our homes, businesses and investments, so we need to take inventory on our spiritual walk. I am not perfect. I will never be perfect here on earth. But there are things in my life that need to be kept and treasured in my life. There are things I am holding on to, but really I need to share with others. Then there are things I am going to need to get rid of. I need to realize that holding on to them will only make clutter in my life. I may never get that apology I have been waiting years for. They may never change and waiting only hurts you because they see no need to change. You want them to like you for who you are but nothing seems to change. I simply need to let go.
The last observation I had was once I went through my stuff, I found I now have room for new stuff. No, I am not going out on a shopping spree (however a few spices will be purchased), but I now have room for change and new things. When we unload and sort through our relationship with Christ, we will find the same is true. We will be more open to what He is saying and offering. We will see things differently, if we aren't so bogged down with unnecessary stuff. One of Satan's best tricks/ lies is to have us distracted. For if we are distracted we can't focus on Christ now can we? Examples of distractions: worry, doubt, fear, not being good enough, etc.
I know my house will get cluttered soon. I am okay with that. I want to live in a home that looks lived in. But for the time, I will enjoy it and try harder to not let things get so far behind. I want to be more aware of what I have pushed back in the dark places. If it isn't being used, I need to find another place for it. The same can be said of my relationship with Christ. If I am not being used by him, I need to ask why. My relationship with Him should be changing and improving. Is it different than it was a year ago? Do I have things to share if asked or are all my examples years old? That shouldn't be. What if every time you got with friends, all they spoke of was, "remember when we were little or when we first met".... They never talked about current stuff. Only when you first met, years and years ago. That is the same with Christ, we need to take inventory and see what is there. What is happening and why are we at the place we are.
I need to take inventory, how about you? Remember three key words:
KEEPING SHARING TRASHING
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