God helps me spring-clean my spiritual closet.
God: What’s hanging here? Looks like sarcasm and rush to judgment..
Me: Hey! They used to be my favorites. I might want them someday.
God: You outgrew these years ago. Think good will.
My God is so clever. Every time I see this logo, I’m reminded
that God cleared sarcasm and rush to judgment from my sacred space and replaced them with good will.
It’s Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It’s time to prepare our souls for Easter. Traditionally, folks give up something for Lent; that is, they sacrifice something for a few weeks in recognition of the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf.
So make your own sacrifice. Clean the old junk out of your spiritual closet, and don’t add any new junk. It’s spring cleaning for your soul!
What lurks in the dark corners of the closet of your soul? Old secrets, hidden sins, false belief?
2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 24:4
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
With the light of God in my prayer closet, there are no dark corners. The scary stuff has no place to hide. It’s a delightful place, filled with knowledge and riches.
What’s in your closet?
Maybe you’re due for some spring cleaning.
Is it time to clean the closet of your soul? Throw out the garbage, the useless junk, childish ideas and outgrown roles. Clear out some space, room enough for you and God.
Matthew 6:6 (AKJV)
But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.
Paul, who endured much suffering for the sake of his ministry, asked believers to pray for him.
Ephesians 6:19 (MSG)
Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all.
Note to self: he asked them to pray for his courage not his comfort.
This was the question: How do you feel about this church?
Round the table came the answers, each one a version of “I feel comfortable here.” Till it was my turn.
We were comparative newcomers to the congregation. Folks were nice enough to us, but truth be told, I was still an outsider. And sometimes it was uncomfortable.
I sensed God’s response: I didn’t call you here to be comfortable.
The meeting was over, the moment passed. We’ve since followed God’s call to another community, another ministry, another church. And God still says,
I didn’t call you here to be comfortable.
I doubt that Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) ever heard the phrase comfort zone. He did, however, understand how to get out of it.
“Only he who can say, ‘The Lord is the strength of my life’ can say, ‘Of whom shall I be afraid?'”
It’s not about being uncomfortable. It’s being unafraid.
People know that I pray. Sometimes they ask me to pray for them.
One of those times, God nudged me, Do it. Now.
I got up from my desk and walked out of my comfort zone. I put my hand on my friend’s shoulder and prayed for her. Right then, out loud.
Since then, I’ve done it many times. No one’s said, “What are you, crazy?” Usually I get a heart-felt “Thank you.”
Sometimes the boundaries of our comfort zones are flat-out ridiculous.
What makes you uncomfortable?
The Apostle Paul got himself into uncomfortable situations:
2 Corinthians 11:25 (NIV)
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, tree times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
That’s a man willing to be uncomfortable for God! And I keep quiet about my faith because someone might think I’m a little crazy. Really?
“Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through! Do not just begin to pray and pray a little while and throw up your hands and quit; but pray and pray and pray until God bends the heavens and comes down.”
R. A. Torrey (1856-1928), evangelist, educator, writer and pray-er extraordinaire!
Thy kingdom come, O Lord!
