Nancy Hughes: Time to clean out the junk

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

The drawer on the left side of my sink had become a junk magnet. I don’t know when it happened. It seemed like a perfect place for pens and pads of paper. But in the blink of an eye it had morphed into a mismatched collection of “stuff” so massive that I struggled to close it without pushing and shoving the contents back in.

One morning I had had enough and decided to empty the drawer to see exactly what was in there. 

I found waded up gum wrappers, a fork and spoon with different patterns, 7 sticky pennies (I have no idea how they got that way and probably don’t want to know), 8 car keys (I have one vehicle), a nail file, 14 ink pens (half didn’t work) and 22 pads of paper from Phil’s Place (never been there – wherever it is).

As I dug deeper, I discovered an ash tray (I don’t smoke), scissors, a hammer, toothpicks, a mouse sticky trap (not used), a “genuine” 2 carat diamond ring (well, maybe not the “genuine” part), double-sided tape (stuck to everything around it), matches, a toothbrush, one puzzle piece, an old half-eaten bag of M&M’s (before there were colors), a phone charger (haven’t had the phone for 3 years), and the warranty to a refrigerator I owned 22 years ago. Mercy!

Here’s the thing: I did not intend for any of that junk to be there. I planned for only pens and paper to fill that space. Instead, every time I opened it, hundreds of other items got shoved in until there was no room for the only thing I wanted to be in the drawer in the first place.

Proverbs 4:23 is a reminder that “junk” can happen to my heart, too. Instead of keeping it free from anything except the presence of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, I allow worldly “items” to creep in. Who am I kidding? I invite them in! Just a tiny dab of gossip – doesn’t take up much space. And then I’ll toss in just a few pads of judgment and a pen or two of anger. Jealousy shouldn’t take up too much space along with an old half-empty bag of regrets . . . get the picture?

Before long God’s Word has been squeezed out by Satan’s lies and I no longer hear the Holy Spirit over everything else vying for my attention. Proverbs 4:23 is a warning to us all. We have to intentionally guard our hearts from all the junk in this world. If we don’t, we will soon find that “the wellspring of life” will be dried up and replaced with worldly things that only do harm to our relationship with Jesus.

I need to continually clean out the junk in my kitchen drawer. But more importantly, I need to do a daily deep cleaning of the junk in my heart.

Father, please reveal to me all the junk in my heart that I need to throw away. Help me to be more like you every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Have you ever noticed that you are struggling with hearing the Holy Spirit speak to you during prayer time?

What worldly “junk” can you identify in your heart that is smothering God’s direction for your life?

Apply

Journal conversations that you have had in the last week that might have allowed “junk” to find a place in your heart.

Beside each journal entry, put the date that you threw it out of your heart and ask the Lord to replace it with His Word.

Power

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Psalm 119:11 (NIV) “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Philippians 4: 7 (NIV) “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)