Cleaning it Out

Lately, the staff at our Montgomery campus has been fervently reworking each room, office and closet so that we can redesign the women’s center. By reworking, I mean completely gutting out every piece of furniture, artifact, file and the list could go on. If you have any familiarity with Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” you would understand when I say it was if the Grinch came through in one fell swoop--not even leaving a crumb for a mouse! (I will add we do not have mice!)  Needless to say, it was a lot of work.

It came to me, in the midst of this transition, the reason behind it all. Clearing everything out of each room was a necessary step so that the rugs could be deep cleaned and the walls repainted--all in preparation for the next season of New Life students coming in. When the new students arrive, they also come with full hearts. Some are so crammed with excess jumble that has collected and been filed away over the years, and finding a passage through the clutter is next to impossible.  However, there is something so sweet and incredibly powerful about even the subtle ways God will speak and move. This applies not only for our students, but for every single person alive on this planet today. Sometimes we just need a remodel in our hearts. We are desperate for a deep clean—a refreshing. But I tell you, doing it alone can end up in more of a “relocation” of the baggage. Let God come in as the master interior designer.  He is a gentleman. He does not come in Grinch-style to vacuum out the items in our heart. He enters and carefully removes the unwanted, piece by piece, as He sees that we are ready. The more we are willing to let Him, the more He will move until He can at last have His way and make it clean and fresh. Why does He do it? Because of His unending love for us. Our redesign is no match for His. It is not an easy process to undergo, but the result of His creation always has been and always will be complete in its beauty. So let Him.