Image courtesy of Google ImagesI don’t know about you, but I was VERY ready to get all the Christmas decorations taken down this year and put away. It feels good to be surrounded by a simple, clean palette. Having my living space uncluttered always inspires me with fresh new decorating ideas. I was especially eager to complete the task this year. I gave my parents the gift of decorating AND undecorating the inside and outside of their house for Christmas. I felt an extra urgency to complete this gift in a timely manner so I was relieved to finish the undecorating on New Year’s Day.
Several years ago when I decorated my own house I finally purged some of my Christmas décor that I had held onto but, really didn’t love. As I undecorated the tree and my other decorations I asked myself very honestly if I really liked it. Was it pretty? Was it ugly? Was it wasting precious space? The keepers I carefully packed away. I discarded the rest. The following year I was delighted that I had taken the extra time the year before to go through the purging process. After completing my decorating I truly felt surrounded by special things that mean something to me and my family. I didn’t feel so weighed down.
You know this is the time of year when most of us take time to reevaluate our lives. As I undecorated this year I was reminded that I need to take the time on a regular basis to purge baggage that I “Hang” on the walls of my heart. We wouldn’t be human if we could say we aren’t carrying around some things we shouldn’t, anger, bitterness, grudges, resentment, etc. Of course purging things is more simply done than purging feelings and sinful thinking. Feelings and temptations that we think we have dealt with sometimes have a way of creeping back in for some reason. They can all too easily be replayed in our minds with a HDTV-type quality.
As Christians, God promises that if we go to him in prayer with a repentant heart about these problems in our lives, He will give us rest. We can’t continue to store them in our hearts if we are going to be all that God wants for us to be. Satan isn’t so eager for us to clear out all this ugliness in our hearts and is hard at work trying to keep us from giving it to God in prayer. I am sure that is why we find it so hard to pray at the times we need to most.
So what is hanging on the walls of your heart?
Anger?
Bitterness?
Grudges?
Jealousy?
Pride?
Worry?
Sinful thoughts?
There is never a bad time to get rid of all this ugly clutter. Our hearts and souls are sure to be soothed by a fresh, clean palette. Just imagine what wonderful things the Lord can decorate our hearts with if we allow Him, but we have to make room. I’m sure it won’t just be us that will reap the benefit of all this redecorating. Our family and friends are sure to find it refreshing as well!
