I was working in the kitchen and could not
believe how messy my cabinets were down near the floor. Obviously, no one gets
down on the floor and looks there but it was like a sore thumb to me. It was grimy.
Things had built up, like the cleaner in the crevices, grease that was not
cleaned up and so one. Slowly I made it to each cabinet and each place on the
floor and was rewarded with a nice clean floor and cabinets. Once I surveyed
the land, it felt good. I committed myself to the task and finished. Woohoo!
That was a choice. I could have pretended
it was not there and eventually it would have been obvious to everyone. Or I could
commit myself to the task and feel like I accomplished something. Choices. We have
choices each day. Some of those choices get harder and harder to stand behind. The
cleaning process starts and we get messy. God starts cleaning and we can get
overwhelmed. I remember asking Him to do it but in the process we see
things we never wanted to see. We start seeing the fruit if our choices and the
changes in our heart.
The biggest change is the commitment. The commitment
to press in and go deeper with God. When we start moving that luggage out so we
can get closer to God, the process can get messy. We might have to deal with
things that make us uncomfortable. The process can leave us wanting to throw in
the towel, pack that luggage right back in the closet and move on. Simple, easy
and we never even have to get messy. There are days that we are excited and
happy to see the change but other times we are loaded down with our
circumstances and choices that the luggage just will not even budge. We finally
decided to pull out a piece of that luggage in the closet and thought better of
it. The door is open and it will all start falling out.
Is the choice to throw it back in the
closet? Or is the choice to finally get rid of junk inside this one
suitcase? Do we want more or less? How many choices will we have to make to get
that luggage cleaned out and put away? We have a choice to live with the hurt
and pains of our past or we can choose to let them go with forgiveness and
pressing in to God. In pressing in to God we seem to gain more than we ever set
out with on that journey. The first step to walking on with God and growing to
trust, love and believe in Him begins with commitment. The test of all love is commitment.
Remember Hannah. Hannah had a lot of
baggage she was carrying up that hill to the temple. But this time she was committed. She was committed to God, she was committed
to her faith, and she was committed to whatever God would ask of her.
I think great things come from a pure
passion of commitment. We have forgotten in our culture the value of our name.
Men used to take pledges on their word. A man’s word was almost as good as a
legal contract. His word, was his commitment.
Today, why don’t we look at one piece of
luggage in that closet. That one piece may even have the word commitment on it.
Just pull it out, slam the door closed quickly, lest any others fall. Read back
on 1Samuel and see what God may be speaking to you this week. Just commit to
one piece of baggage. You never know how easy it may be to just let It go.
But if you are struggling, call a friend,
find someone you can talk to and see what God has for you. God does say seek
wise counsel. I encourage you do so. Keep it all in perspective and balance.
Blessings, praying for you this week.
Praying many, many blessings on your life.
In His Grip
Barb
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