Saturday, December 18, 2010

What I Learned About Life By Cleaning My House Today

Sometimes things seem so overwhelming.

I looked around this afternoon and in every corner of our home, there was a BIG mess.
It doesn't matter how it happened. It just did. And it didn't happen overnight.

It made me want to cry, and it made me want to shout and complain. The HOLIDAYS are coming up. Things are supposed to be SPECIAL and BEAUTIFUL, not messy and dirty.

I couldn't imagine how I would get things under control in the next twelve months, let alone by next week, or tomorrow (Sunday--another day that is supposed to be SPECIAL and BEAUTIFUL).

So how did I handle this dilemma? I was exhausted so I cried out to the Lord for help and took a nap. Not necessarily in that order. I can't remember which--maybe they were simultaneous.

When I woke up, everything looked the same, and I felt the same about it, but I did the only thing one can do in such a situation. I picked up one item and I put it away. Then I picked up another. And another. This went on and on all day. First the coffee table got cleaned up, then the living room floor. Then the worst things in the kitchen got put in the dishwasher. Thankfully, not as much as I expected had to be washed by hand (something I go to great lengths to avoid).

I won't bore you with the rest of the chores. They aren't all done yet. Are they ever? But I can look around my home and smile again.

About three quarters of the way through all of this, something occurred to me. It's not only our homes that can get to be hopeless messes. Our lives can get this way, too. Parts of our lives, or even all of it may seem that way at times.

These things make all the difference:
1. Tell the Lord all about it.
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

2. Rest.

3. Deal with one thing at a time.

4. Don't ever give up--not ever " because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

Are things not right between you and God? Just turn to him now because "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

Remember how there wasn't as much to wash by hand as I thought there was? Well, in your life, there probably isn't as much horrible stuff to deal with as you might think, but even if there is, God can handle it. He will do it with you, and some of it he might even take care of for you. (Even when he is doing it with you, he is doing it for you; he's just letting you take part in the process.)

It may not take as long as you think, but even if it does God will give you joy on the journey. Halfway through my Christmas week mess, things began to look brighter, even though there was a lot more to do.

New trials meet us every day, yet "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."Lamentations 3:22-23

(I don't know why some of the words came out so large. I can't seem to fix it.)

2 comments:

  1. I think it's funny that the words came out so large! (maybe it was frustrating to you!?!) But they are good large words of encouragement. My desk is a mess to be dealt with again and I'm going to press on with this large print charge! Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, now at least the only words that are large are the ones that were supposed to be. Yes, we press on--to our desks, kitchens, and other details of life...

    ReplyDelete