My heart has been a little heavy lately. I know God is up to something and I want to be right in the middle of it. If He is moving, I’ll move with Him. If He wants to rearrange my space, I am the empty box waiting to be filled up with things of value, things you can’t live without. I’m tired of the junk pile. I grow weary from the things that should be long forgotten, but somehow they remain hidden deep in the closet where no one can see.
God sees it. He knows our junk and He is unafraid to deal with it. Like a big, black plastic bag and strong arms He takes the mess that we have created and says, “Are you done with this?”
You have been holding onto this because you thought you had to. This has no value; this does not define you, the pain, and the baggage. It’s time to clean house, you hold the bag this time…and I’ll tell you what goes inside.
I look at Him timidly and hold the bag wide open and wonder if the bag is big enough to hold the mother-load of trash that has annoyingly cluttered my storehouse. I cringe at the thought of the messiness of me and ask the God that formed man out of dust if He might want to use some rubber gloves for this one.
And we have our moment:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Before you were born I sanctified you. I set you apart.
I ordained you. I am the God that appointed you as one who is called.
I do not make trash. But, I’ll help you clean it up. My beloved, this is what I want you to throw in the trash:
The voice that tells you that you can’t, the voice that tells you that you are not good enough and that you have nothing of value to offer.
I hope that today you have your Jeremiah 1:5 moment. I hope that you read about how the prophet questioned his call blaming his youth. In timidity and fear Jeremiah was completely unaware of how much the God of all creation wanted to take what he had to offer and be so big in him. In Jeremiah 1:8 it says, “Do not be afraid of their faces.”
Take your fears and doubt to the curb. His approval of you far outweighs your critics; believe what the word of God says about you!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” Declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
It’s Monday and today is trash day.
By Jennifer Watson, Messy Mosaic
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Thank you for this great reminder. My husband has contributed so strongly to helping me kick my doubts to the curb and give my worries up to God. That support is invaluable! And so is your encouragement here today.
I cannot tell you how much this ministered to me. I have some baggage that I’ve carried around for a while now. Thinking I have given it up. Praying that the Lord will give me the grace to allow the Savior to take it away once and for all.
Barbie,
I’m so glad you are taking that trash to the curb! We all carry baggage around… it’s such a beautiful thing when God sets us free and our load becomes so much lighter!! You are so precious!
In my world, outer clutter equals inner clutter. I’ve been trying to go through the trash, both seen and unseen, to make room for the One who gave His all. Thank you for the timely reminder. You’re so right. It’s trash day.
Southern Gal,
So true…outer clutter equals inner clutter! I love your comment about making room for the One who gave His all. He is so faithful and never seems to mind our messiness!
I really needed to read this today. Thank you for the reminder “His approval of you far outweighs your critics; believe what the word of God says about you!”
I am going to continue to take the trash out to the curb each time I find it lurking in the corners of my life and mind.
Thank you. Needed that reminder. God has a purpose in my life. If I dwell on pain and past, it distracts me from His purpose.
I love this Jennifer and the image (“this broken one”…in popular posts at my site and others i’ve written too)…I have been writing about all of this so much recently and I don’t think I’ll ever stop or stop needing to hear it…it’s the stuff of being His. Feeling kindred with you sister:) thanks again, Abby:):):)
Abby, I love that! Feeling kindred with all of you sweet things on this journey with me! Blessings to you!
~Jennifer
Yes! He desires a holy people set apart for His Glory. Your post made me think of C. S. Lewis’ quote: We’re not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.
We have to stand firm in the knowledge that whatever He does, He does in the most Loving way possible to accomplish His Will.
Thanks for sharing this. Good insight. Jeremiah 1:5 is a favorite verse to me. We all carry our trash around. I hope that I am an encourager to others and not the critic. Need to watch that beam in my own eye. God created us in His own image. Maybe it would be good to remember that when I feel like being critical of someone and inflicting pain on them.
Yay for trash days!! God is doing this in my life right now. I didn’t realize hard it is to get the garbage out sometimes, especially the old, stinky stuff. It’s no fun to hold on to, and freedom is in giving it up! Thank you for sharing!
Such good news, that God can clean out our hearts and love us just as we are in the process. Thanks for this reminder, Jennifer!
Oh, thank you for the wonderful news! Someone else mentioned the impact her husband had had on her self-doubts, and I too am blessed with the gift of that kind of husband. But after 29 years, I still think I have to be the “perfect” whatever as that’s what my mother expected. Some things we really have trouble giving up. Thanks for reminding me of God’s goodness and cleansing power.