Slushy Soles
With the rollercoaster of weather patterns that we’ve had here in West Virginia—the snow, the spring-like temps that melt the snow, then more snow, along with all of the rain in between—it’s been difficult to keep my hardwood floors clean. Slushy soles have tracked in muddy footprints all over the entryway and into the adjacent rooms. I sweep and mop over and over. I admire the look of cleanliness, even if it only lasts a day or two. Although I love to watch the snow fall so peacefully, and love to sleep with the sound of rain falling on the roof, the messy floors that come as a result makes me want to wait until after winter is over to clean them. It can be a bit annoying to think you’ve conquered something, only having to go back and tackle the battle again and again.
Even though I want to wait, can you imagine the amount of the dirt, grime, and dust that would build up and be laying around if I did? It would end up being a much longer task and need a lot more elbow grease to clean, rather than just cleaning throughout the season. I don’t think this is only a challenge for cleaning floors. I think we are challenged with this physically, mentally and spiritually too. We wait and put off efforts towards strengthening and growing to move ourselves forward. The longer we wait, the longer we put off hope, we become slushy souls stuck in our own mess.
Galatians 6:9 tells us to not get tired in doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Meaning, don’t give up taking good care of yourself. Don’t give up putting others before yourself by praying, giving, and volunteering. Don’t ever give up going to the Word and allowing Him to write it on your heart. It is a daily choice to not give up in the middle of a mess, but like my pastor says, “God isn’t afraid of our mess.” He will meet us right where we are, as long as, we are willing to continue the daily work—even if we don’t feel like it.
Messes will always occur, even after we think we’re done. But what if we considered how many times God has mopped us with His grace and He’s never complained about it one time. Let’s grab that same mop of grace, so that when the next person steps through our entryway, they won’t recognize a mess, but will be welcomed with a cleanliness that is so much greater!