Closet in Need of Care/Soul in Need of Care

Do you know how much we store in closets? We emptied one of the closets in our family room so that we could install more shelf brackets. The poor shelves were bending in places they shouldn't bend. I am simply amazed at all the STUFF that came out of that space. My intent was to get rid of as much as I dared. As I go through the stuff, I find so little with which I care to part. I found prayer journals from long ago. I can't throw those out; they are the things I read to inspire my faith as I read of answered prayers on this life journey. There are many toys from Isaiah's younger years; beautiful toys with little wear that will serve future little people well. Even Isaiah had a difficult time parting with those things. He thought of his cousin's visits to our house. I'm afraid most of that will stay. Then there is music......lots of it....works that I was always going to practice and conquer in my limited piano abilities. Some how, I simply can't give up that dream. It would cost mega bucks to replace that sheet music. On the bright side, I did find many games that haven't been played perhaps in as long as they have taken space and I will part with most of them.

When I think of that closet in relationship to my soul. I know I would be surprised if I emptied myself of all my sin. In fact I would probably be shocked and sorely disappointed at how much is stored in there. There is pride. As I take it out and look at it I see that there is part of it that is hard to give up. Do I want to clean myself out of all that protects me in a sinful sense? There are negative and even hateful thoughts about some people. Oh, I'd like to say it isn't so...but if I truly pulled everything out of the corners, I'm sad to say, I'd find it. Can I give up those resentful feelings for hurts inflicted? I don't know...it is hard. Oops, I ran across selfishness. Ugh. The list goes on and I find in my spiritual life the process of cleaning out, rearranging, and setting things RIGHT requires a painful process.

The result????? We plan to put the closet back together tomorrow. I'll then consider what the results of that clean and orderly closet is and I'll relate that to my soul as well.