Unshackled Echo ~ January 2 ~ Cleaning Out The Fridge

Today's Unshackled Echo was previously published on

January 2, 2016.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

- Psalm 139:23-24

Like many, from time to time at the Woodard home we have to clean out the refrigerator. If things are left in there after their time, it causes problems. Food poisoning is not fun, but that can usually be avoided by smelling the milk and checking to see if the food has become a science project. Sometimes cleaning out the fridge isn't as much about what has gone bad and will make someone sick. Sometimes it's about making room. It's full, and there's no room to put what we need to inside.

Let's face it. Sometimes things haven't really gotten to the point of gross bad, but rather than take them out and dispose of them we push them to the back and forget about them or ignore them. Some things may not be bad as such but we haven't used them for days or weeks and likely never will. They need to go so that there's room for food that will be used.

Our lives are like that at times too. There are times when we need to take a look at ourselves, to take stock of what's right and what is doing us and others harm.  Knowing when our spiritual lives have soured or grown moldy is critical to getting free and clean. But afterwords we still need to empty ourselves and make room for the things that God wants to give us. It's not that their bad as such, but what we're looking at can't be used to make the great things that God wants to make of our lives or just aren't as good as the blessing He wants to fill us with.

It's with these lesser inventories we can need the most help. Invariably when I clean out the fridge there is at least once I ask Leah, is such and such still good? Or are you going to use the... See, Leah is an awesome cook, and she can take leftovers and make better than the first times with some of them. She does amazing things with food I would trash at times. And then there are times when I think maybe she wants something to stay and she says Oh no. I'm not ever going to use that. Throw it out.  I defer to her judgement on such things, and I have never once regretted it. Sometimes there are things in my life that I think are still good. Maybe God can even use that aspect of my attitude and life to a good purpose. But when I get His thoughts on it, He says. No. I'm not using that. Throw it out..And there are things I don't like about myself that I wish desperately to change, to get rid of, and He says, no, this I can use. I'll give you the grace to endure.

Self examination is important and a good place to start, but we can never do it good enough on our own. If you are ready to be of more use to God and to get out of His way to make room for more life worth living, then it's time to invite God into the examination process. Lord, search our hearts and minds to see what you want to use, what you want to change, what you want to discard. Help us to remember to ask You about our inventory.


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