Changing A Valve

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

So many people are watching us -- sinners and saints, children and elders, and most particularly, our closest group of friends-- inspecting our lives as representatives of Christ. What do they see? Do they see people who have the potential to be better if only they would let go of one or two issues in their lives?

A simple quote by Olivia Crabtree says "People who try to fix their faults are special." How long has it been since we took a good, deep, scary look at ourselves, our thoughts, our actions, or our motives, and planned how to fix whatever needed repair. Let us pick our hearts apart, lay the pieces on the floor around us, and excavate each detail until we have found and solved a problem within it, put it back together and live a better life.

Why would we ever feel this process were difficult or impossible? We use this all the time to analyze other people from the outside when we don't even know how their inside looks. Just as everyone has their observant eyes on us, we also keep our eyes on other people. Why not take our hearts to the fix-it shop to get rid of things that slow us down? These mostly are things we either place before God or the things that keep us from His glorious will. Sometimes worry. Sometimes sin. Sometimes we simply hold ourselves back. Don't! Strip all those things off your heart! And if it's difficult, ask the Holy Spirit. He'll be glad to help.

After we get rid of the trash that clogs our hearts, we'll be prepared to run faster and more efficiently for Jesus Christ' cause. Nothing will be in the way of the goal of His glory. This trash-free living is called holiness. He says, "Be holy for I am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). How else can we do this except to get rid of the unholy? We can only learn by Christ's example. He "knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Neither should we. Throw it off. Dig it out. Clean it up! Then focus only on Christ and His goals for us, His followers. All the focus, all the thanks, all the glory should be in Christ, the "author and perfecter of our faith." We aren't in this cleansing process alone. Christ writes the plan and He perfects the product. When we tear apart our own hearts to look for areas of improvement, He wants to be right beside us to guide the reconstruction process. Let Him.