A Clean House: A Pure Heart

I thought deeply about my past today while walking the dog.  You know, the different stages of life we go through.  We always have a destination, but we don't always make it to that specific place we see ourselves going because our life took a different turn than we intended.  Sometimes there is absolutely no way of changing the circumstance.  The only constant in my life is my Heavenly Father.  Through every one of those situations, my emotions and mentality were inconsistent.  But because I relied on the Lord to lead and guide me every step of the way, my heart and physical being were strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is not to say that I did not lose heart, or feel spiritually depleted at times.  But when I called on him I was renewed and equipped for the setting I found myself in.  His plans are for good and not for evil to give us a future and a hope.  The key is to rely on him.

In only a months time I found myself moving into a cute little freshly renovated home with beautiful wooden floors and everything to my taste.  The people in the town we moved to only saw where I lived at the current moment.  They didn't know where I had just come from.  They couldn't discern that we had been through some very traumatic issues.  They didn't know that my previous home was not my own and it was all I could do to make it feel clean and like a home for our children.  You can never tell by someone's current status where they have come from, and their actual condition may be contrary to what you can see with your natural eyes.  Without the comfort of the Holy Spirit a house is just a house.  I can't imagine not having the Holy Spirit and the Lord during those times in my life and even now.

It's the same with our heart.  We all have a story.  We can't tell what others have been through by their outward appearance.  Anyone can change their vocabulary and tone of voice to sound void of confusion and doubt, pain and impatience.  Anyone can hold their head high all day long and then go home to barely holding themselves up in the shower because they are crying so hard.  Some of the biggest smiles cover some of the most pain.

Our entrances may be appealing, but what is on the inside?  Is your house clean and in order?  Are you at peace with yourself enjoying a warm cup of coffee, or too busy staring out the window wondering what could have been?  Are your loved ones close by?  Is your husband in bed with you or on the couch?  Do your children know they are loved?  Or are you consumed by what is not important.  I have come to understand the intriguing fact that our heart is the home of our souls.  We teach our children this.  But do we really think about it in childlike terms.

Maybe it's time to do some cleaning and mending on the inside of our hearts.  Sweep the floors and clean out the fridge! Fix things that are broken instead of throwing them away.  Light some candles and open the windows to let some light in.  Dust under the furniture (purify your mind) and don't entertain negative thoughts.  Never assume.  Talk. Communicate with your husband.  Set your Bible out so you are reminded to read it daily and keep it in the kitchen as your daily bread.

Clean out your closets.  A simple life is a peaceful life. Declutter your heart by trusting in the Lord in everything. Do not lean on your human understanding and do not rely on your finite mind to figure out the tough issues.  Let time change things for you and give them all to the Lord.  He is completely capable of handling what you are going through, in fact he is eager to take it from you.  Let him.

Food For Thought:

"For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything."  -Hebrews 3:4


"Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells."  -Psalm 26:8 


"The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish."  -Prov. 14:11


"Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife."  -Prov. 25:24