The words gathered from this week lead my heart to a story:
obedience. cultivate. gentleness. battling. determination. strength. filter. contributor. extension. incline. forbearance. connected. affirms. teach. gratefulness. humility.
Each morning, I wake up and take a moment to lay in bed for a few minutes. It doesn't take long before my mind begins to race. This morning wasn't any different. I have to command peace upon it, so that my mind comes into agreement with my spirit. I pulled myself out of bed and allowed my feet to touch the cold barren floor. As I slowly made my way to the kitchen to brew the coffee, I began to clean. The coffee was being filtered and so was the kitchen and the inside of the refrigerator.
It wasn't until after I had drawn myself back to a place of stillness that I began to ponder what just happened. The act of filtration in the kitchen, was also what had occurred in my heart over the past week. There had been miscommunication, misunderstanding, etc. Basically--things had been "missed". But what had been happening was more of a heart issue than anything. I had been trying to handle situations on my own strength. I had failed to extend my hand to allow my Savior to filter, humble, and offer strength to me. I had failed to walk in obedience. But the beauty of this (as it was with the coffee and the kitchen this morning), was the lesson was a process. It required my attention and inclination of my ears and heart. How thankful I am that Jesus is forever teaching us and growing us in truth and humility.
Like my refrigerator, I'd be a mess without a good clean up in my heart. It's all because of his grace that he takes the time to do what I oftentimes neglect. What a husband! What a father! What a teacher! What a Savior! What a LORD!!
Until next week and all that it holds...
