I broke a sweat Swiffering the kitchen floor last week. Maybe I wouldn’t have had to work so hard if the last time the floor was swept and mopped wasn’t three months ago. (Gross, I know, but no one will ever mistake me for Mrs. Clean.)
Days later, as my husband prepared our Valentine’s Day dinner, he said, Sorry, you’re probably going to have to sweep again.
Not a big deal when we’re only talking about a day or two’s worth of kitchen crumbs. That’s a quick job. When it has accumulated over time, then we’re talking scrub-worthy effort.
I feel the same way about my spiritual life. It doesn’t take much for God to get the gunk out of my life when I come to Him daily with it. But when it’s been days, weeks, months or years, the process requires more effort, more sweat and most likely some tears.
1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)
I admit, I’m not too faithful at confessing my sins. Sometimes, I delude myself into thinking I don’t have any. Then, I get a gentle (or not so gentle) reminder from God, and for a time, I’m humbled. Until I become comfortable enough with my life to stop confessing my sins.
What would my life look like if I daily came to God and asked Him to not only forgive me of the sins I could remember but to show me the sins I didn’t even know I was committing?
We’re entering the season of Lent today, and I haven’t given much thought to how I can intentionally honor the Lord during this time and set apart something for Him. This may be the place to start: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)
My heart longs to sing this truth each day: “Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow, now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
He’s always going to be starting with dirt when He begins the washing process. How much dirt is up to me.
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