Cleaning Out the Basement

The online, ongoing faith retreat I'm doing has been difficult the last two weeks to say the least. We've been looking at the sin in our lives. Aaahhh!!!

I did what I normally do when things are really difficult.

I avoided it.

Totally. Acted like I wasn't participating. Refused to print out the guide for the week. Didn't look at it for days.

I'm so mature and really growing in my faith, can't you tell?

But I just love the Lord, so much!!!

He knows me so well. He is faithful, constant, loving, and thankfully merciful. And have I mentioned humorous. He knows how to reveal things in a very concrete way for me. He puts my life together in wonderful, "Aha!" moments. I am so thankful that He has opened my eyes to see His work.

I finally faced the retreat guide for the week. I took the time to sit, pray, journal, and even listen. God's timing is always spot on. Here's how.

Sunday, rather than spending the day in observance of the Sabbath, I spent it cleaning out the storage area of our basement. After the move last year, I pulled the things we needed out of boxes and simply made a mess down there. Now, I will say I was led to clean out our basement by last week's retreat guide and something from our Beth Moore, Jesus, the One and Only study. (I just love how God ties the story of the life we're living together.)

Last week in the retreat, we contemplated the sin of the world and how ignore serving the poor.
In Jesus, the One and Only, Beth commented on how many of us spend money on storage units for things we don't use daily, while others have nothing. I don't have a storage unit, but I do have a storage area in my basement filled with things that could benefit others. So, God brought me to a place where I realized that I definitely can share my hidden treasures with others.

I cleaned out the larger section of the basement. It looks great. I got rid of things that I had bought and never used but had selfishly held onto for "someday." In typical fashion, I did avoid the section with all my teaching materials and Hon's tool area. There was only so much I could face in one day. As I went to bed Sunday night, I realized I could face those two sections easily, and there were things I had decided to keep that I should donate to someone else. I needed to go back and continue cleaning out the basement. I know that God laid those thoughts on my heart, because...

The next morning I finally read the retreat guide for the week. Wouldn't you know that it said,

But, in every house - in every life - there is a basement...where the less than
presentable stuff is kept. This week, we can imagine going down in that
basement. Even if there has been a lock on that door, and I haven't
visited it in a long time. I need not be afraid, because I'm going to go
down there, accompanied by Jesus, who will show me all the stuff that is
there. There's old stuff there I wouldn't want to show anybody else.
There's embarrassing stuff there, in hiding. As I walk around it all, I
can imagine Jesus telling me he loves me here, in this place. He loves all
of me - the whole me. To avoid facing the fear, negatives,
past sins, and patterns of sins in my life would be to avoid a tremendous
grace.

I realized that the sins and patterns of sins in my life had been in my subconscious all week. I have delved into some areas I didn't want to face, and I mined some gems that I can carry forward and apply to my life to avoid sin in the future. I realized that while I often pay lip service to the sin of pride in my life, it is so much worse than I realized.

Which ties back into the Jesus, the One and Only study which said, "Conviction is never for the sake of condemnation but for liberation." If I give it over to Jesus and accept his mercy and grace, I have received a priceless gift, not eternal condemnation.

The contemplation of my sinful patterns isn't over. Yuck! I have just straightened up a little bit. I pray that God grants me the faith, strength, love, and mercy to continue to realize the pattern behind my sin. I have also realized that by not facing my sin patterns, I cannot meet Jesus and ask for healing. I noticed in our readings in Luke that in most instances where Jesus healed the sick in spirit and body, the person, or a person who could speak for them, knew he/she needed healing. They knew they needed Jesus's healing and grace.

You can't seek healing when you don't know you're sick.