We were talking in Women's Bible study about how we need to be disciplined in our spiritual walk. One lady gave the example of a body builder and how you can physically see the results of the discipline they have in their life. The same should be true of the spiritual discipline we have. The fruit of Holy Spirit should be evident to those who see us. People can see the results of our discipline or our lack of discipline.
Then pastor used the analogy of weeds. In New Mexico, weeds grow even when the plants we intentionally care for die. When I first moved to New Mexico, I would see my neighbor go out daily to to pick up something I couldn't even see around her yard; I didn't understand why, until I looked in my back yard and it was covered with a small jungle of weeds. It is a good picture of our spiritual life. We need to tend to the things that try to pop up while they are small instead of allowing them to grow. If we are not careful of the things that try to take root in our life, they will choke out the fruit of Holy Spirit that need to grow.
Pastor then talked about how clutter in her home makes her feel uneasy. We also obtain a lot of clutter in our spiritual lives as well. We may be able to hide the clutter for a while, but eventually the disobedience, insecurities, fears, and pride can be seen as they root out the good things that God is trying to grow in our life.
As she asked about the things we allow to clutter our lives and keep us from His will and purpose, I immediately pictured the countertop in my kitchen. I told my husband recently that I can not deal with the clutter. He does not like the clutter of cups in the cabinets. He took all the plastic and steel cups out of the cupboard. He put them on the counter in the corner by the microwave. These are usually the cups I use, but I don't like the clutter of cups on the counter. Actually I don't like anything on the countertops.
It is not just the cups though, and I immediately knew it. God showed me a deeper picture of what I allow to clutter my life and keep me from His will and purpose in my life. I have allowed those cups to be filled. I have been blessed to sit under amazing pastors, teachers and evangelists in my life. My cups are sitting on the counter full because I have allowed insecurities to fill my mind and not poured out consistently what He has allowed to be poured into me. The drinks are spilling over creating even more of a mess.
I have felt for some time that I need to be intentional in the body of Christ. I have generally worked children's ministry. Since I was a child I helped out in children's ministry, led classes, led children's church and special programs. As my children grew up, I moved more into helping on an occasional basis instead of as full time ministry. For a while, I felt led to completely step down and back. For the past decade, I have felt more called to women and marriages, and minister there when I have the opportunity. I do pour out into the world helping people in my career as ministry, but that is not always to the Church and not at the level God has spoken to me about.
I receive the correction, which also played into the message as I had teased one of the other ladies at the beginning of the class. She looked at me when she said the word "correction" as she talked about obedience. The rest of her message she was looking at where the other ladies were seated in the room. God was probably preparing me for what He was about to show me.
I know that far too long I have sat and received and not poured out where God has instructed me to. This year I have been working to consistently obey what God tells me to do, when He tells me to do it. I have also been working on the things I know He has previously told me to do. I know there is clutter in my life of cups that I have not poured out when He asked me to. I have robbed others of what He has placed inside of me because of my disobedience. I know walking in condemnation will not help, but I can start pouring consistently now. I am working on cleaning up my clutter cups.
We all have areas in our life where we are more discipline. We have areas where weeds try to choke out what God is trying to produce in us. We also each deal with some level of clutter that gets in the way of what God is calling us to do. It is up to us to be intentional and consistent in our discipline, in weeding, and in decluttering. He has too much in us that He wants to do through us for us to get tripped up by clutter cups!
Lord, thank You for continuing to get my attention about obedience and pouring out what You have placed within me. I hear You. I want to obey. Help me to stay consistent in my obedience.
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