Assess the Situation

As I cleaned out a closet one day, I realized I was surrounded. There was stuff everywhere: garbage mixed with forgotten gifts; old, dirty laundry next to that special thing I had forgotten about; clean, perfectly functional things covered in the cobwebs of neglect.

When we’re cleaning something out, things often look worse before they look better. If we know that going in, we can push through to something more beautiful.

Now that we’ve dug out some of the mess that was hiding in our hearts, what do we do with it?

Let’s start by sorting things out. Maybe you spent some time thinking about the things deep in your heart. Maybe you wrote some things down. Maybe you haven’t done anything yet, but you want to.

Start with what you’ve dug out so far. Think about things and break them up into categories. Much like the KEEP, DONATE, THROW AWAY sorting method for cleaning out your house, try putting your heart things into categories. (Writing it down helps a lot. You can make lists or doodle or draw, but put it on paper.)

Here are a few categories to consider:

Forgive

There are people we need to forgive. It’s easy to hold little offenses against people without even realizing it. The freedom that comes from forgiveness is one of the most cleansing gifts you can give yourself.

Treasures

These are gifts or special things that are easy to forget about. Quite honestly, I forgot that I’m a good leader. Now that I’ve uncovered that, I need to ask God what to do with it. This category can feel a little scary. But if we remember we don’t have to do anything in our strength, it is less overwhelming.

Get Rid Of

Some things just need to be tossed. I’ve mentioned before how anger is an issue for me. I don’t want to be an angry person anymore. Insecurity and fear have plagued me for as long as I can remember. I’m tired of them taking up residence in my heart. I’m ready for an eviction that only God can give. These are all about confessing and giving it to God. These are too big for us to defeat on our own. We need God.

Time to pray:

Heavenly Father, show me that You are here with me as I assess what’s in my heart.

Reveal things I need to forgive, remind me of treasures long hidden, and give me the courage to toss things I don’t need.

Thank You for being so gentle with me and loving me as I sort through this with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.