ignoring the piles

So, we just moved into our new house three weeks ago, right? I think we are making great progress, considering. I still haven't found some pertinent house items and our bedroom is still a small disaster, but other than that, we are way ahead of schedule. (what schedule?)

I look around and feel a small sense of satisfaction. I congratulate myself on getting the house to a functional state. I smile as I put away dishes and there's a space for every item. I decide I am finally going to take those pictures of the house that I promised to send to family and friends. And then, I see it...

The piles.

There's a pile of blankets and sheets that we borrowed from a friend for our first night in our house (before our linens were delivered). There's a pile of papers that haven't quite found a place to call home. There's a pile of miscellaneous items that have been lying on the table since we moved in. What is all that junk, anyway?

I realize something as I see these piles. I realize that, until I saw my house from a new perspective, I had become very content with my piles. They didn't frustrate, upset, or bother me in the least. Worse, I didn't even notice them. I had gotten so used to these piles, I simply excused them, justified them, pretended like they weren't there.

Does this sound familiar to anyone else? Maybe not piles of linens, paper, or junk, but things in your life that are piled up, cluttering your heart, clouding your vision? Maybe it's a sin issue that needs absolute elimination, perhaps a spiritual discipline that has become slack and needs reawakening, it could even be thoughts or ideas that are building up in the heart and developing a life pattern that will ultimately be destrictive. How often do I make excuses? I may have lost my temper with my children again, but all I did was yell. I'm sure there are plenty of moms out there who do worse things. If only I weren't so tired, or my husband was home more. Then I could handle these situations with more love and patience. How many times will I justify my behavior? It's ok if I eat another dessert...I did exercise this week, after all, and I'm really feeling overwhelmed with all I have to do. Will I forever close the eyes of my heart and pretend that these issues aren't there? I'm too busy right now to spend time praying, reading the Word, meditating on Scripture. I'm a mom of little kids, after all, I think God understands that I don't have time for those things right now. I'll catch up on lost time when my kids are grown.

I am guilty of letting these piles build up all around me. Not only do I not deal with these things, but very often I don't even see them. I let them become the norm, just the way things are, who I am. I am guilty of excusing behavior, justifying my actions, and pretending like my sin is not there. Not calling it what it is and dealing with it head-on. Throwing out the clutter, eliminating the junk, bring restoration to these piles.

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Praise the Lord, I am a new creature in Christ.

Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Thanks be to God, he is ever merciful (not giving me what I deserve), forever gracious (giving me what I do not deserve), always faithful.

2 Corinthians 5:21 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Jesus Christ has paid the price for my sin, all of it. All of the sins I have ever committed, all of the sins that I will commit (let's face it, He knows them all). When God sees me, He sees the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

I'm committed to getting rid of the piles. Not only the physical ones that are cluttering up my house, but the spiritual ones that are cluttering my heart. It's not an easy task; in fact, it may be downright painful, but we are promised the victory (Romans 8:2-4) through the Holy Spirit inside of us.