Cleaning out my closet

In life you collect stuff... and some of it is stuffed in the back of the closet.

You grow up... you go to school... you date... you get a job... you move... you leave jobs... you get new jobs... you get married... you make friends... you lose friends.

All the experiences and relationships that are part of your story form you spiritually... both positive and negative. Some of the toughest... or most shameful... or most painful experiences often get stuffed in the back of the closet. And even though no one sees it... it can affect everything. And as "Em" says... I think we ALL have skeletons in our closet.

I've found that my personal and spiritual growth depends on my willingness to clean out the closet of my life from time to time. It is scary... It is painful... but the pain is the way to growth.

There is a healthy and an unhealthy way to react or respond to these personal demons. And while I don't have it all figured out... what I tend to need is some close and trusted friends who will help me shine the light of Christ into the dark recesses of closets of my life. To not just shine the light... but to help me clean it out and tidy up.

Em.... sing. (FYI: Eminem uses some colorful language to express his emotions. If you can't handle that... then don't watch it)

[NOTE: I do not condone the excessive use of filthy language and have a low tolerance for such language myself. I do not regularly expose myself to such potty-mouthed entertainment as simply a consumer... but try to engage it from a Christian worldview. Engagement is not always retreat. The theme of this song has captivated me from my first exposure to it... and I share it here with the greatest of caution and this extra note... thanks to my friend Sean]



God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:5b-7

When God Speaks

My family had the opportunity to get away this weekend. It involved visiting a different church and its nice to go to a place once in a while where I am anonymous and can just soak in the experience like everyone else. This past Sunday God spoke to me. Some of you know what I am talking about. It was one of those unmistakable times when my heart was pierced by the word of God. And I am still recovering from it. It was like the pastor was just talking to me. My spirit quivered and I knew that God was speaking to me.

The preacher spoke on being holy from 1 Peter 1:13-16:

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

I was challenged to pursue God's holiness. God holiness means that he is perfect and set apart. And for me that means pursuing perfection and pursuing purity. The challenge was to realize our positional holiness and pursue a practical holiness... not one or the other.

How we do this comes right from the text. It flows from a controlled mind and a hope fueled on eternal rewards.

To be honest I've been a bit on cruise lately. My mind has not been sharp and pointed in the best direction all the time. I've let anger and bitterness creep into my thinking about certain people and certain situations. I've gotten lazy about taking those thoughts captive to Christ. And I've placed too much of my hope on my temporal success or failure in certain situations instead of placing it the eternal inheritance resulting entirely on God's grace. My mind has strayed from the richness of the gospel and to things of lesser value.

I got punched in the gut this Sunday and I can't remain the same. Thanks for the wake-up call God. I will not remain the same.