Clean
The rag
dabbed in
solution wiped
cleanly away
the crusted oil
and cast iron's rust.
I thought about
being clean:
the ragged state of
my heart's cupboard,
the grime that's
clung for far too long.
Could I be clean?
"Yes," the Word said.
"I will wipe you
clean."
Journal with me.
In what ways do you feel dirty, cluttered, or worn? Physically? Mentally? Emotionally? Spiritually? What have you done in the past to feel clean again? How has that experience connected you with God’s cleansing love?
I spent a chunk of yesterday deep cleaning the kitchen.
I had to face the areas I had been ignoring.
I suppose there are some areas I thought I'd get to eventually.
It was a daunting task. In fact, I thought most of it was impossible: “What good is this effort when I know those marks aren’t truly cleanable?”
Well, to my surprise, they were—when I applied some good old-fashioned elbow grease.
I’ve let this fester for too long—why have I let this go so long?
I don’t know about you, but the sense of having a flourishing life can feel intimidating. It’s daunting because we see the work it will take to get to the other side: exercising, eating healthier, praying more, waking earlier.
What I’ve learned over the years—though I don’t want you, dear journaler, to get the idea that I am anywhere near disciplined—is that sometimes it’s easier and more joy-filled than I first assumed.
God, what I assumed would be a chore (asking for your help, admitting my weakness, doing the hard work) has tasted like sweet wine. Help me remember. Help me remember.
There are many ways you might feel less than optimal today, and that can feel even worse in a culture where everyone seems to have the right way to become more optimized.
There is no silver bullet. There is no hack to a life well lived. It just has to be lived.
The truth is, most of us are closer to a sense of abundant life than we’d like to think. What are you putting off? What are you avoiding? What needs your attention that you’ve been ignoring?
Paul reminds us of a time when the Word told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in your weakness.” What did Paul learn? That when he is weak and faces it, he is strong.
I hope you are having a great season of life—I hope the sun is shining and all is well. But if it’s not, sometimes admitting it before God and before others is how we discover that, by some mystery, Jesus holds us, mends us, cleans us, and offers us joy for the way. The more we allow God to make a home in us, the more the light casts out the dark, and the more radiant our lives become.
God, shine in me. Live in me. Patch me up.
Get specific about what you could admit: What? When? Where? How?