Taking Care of My Dirty Laundry

Taking Care of My Dirty Laundry

I just finished my laundry.  It reminds me that much of life is based on repetition.  We do the same things, over and over.  With just Steve and I, laundry doesn’t consume much of my time. However, I remember when our family was young, the washing machine was continually running.  Granted, Taking Care of My Dirty Laundry is not only a physical necessity, but a spiritual one as well.

The Repetitive Nature of Sin

It was early morning.  I just finished a beautiful time in prayer and Bible study.  My heart was overflowing with God’s love.  

However, within a half hour, Steve and I had a disagreement.  How could my heart change so quickly?   I went from peace and contentment to chaos and anger in record time.  Regrettably, once again, my heart needed to go through the wash and rinse cycles.

Wash, Rinse…Repeat

Unfortunately, my heart demands constant attention.  The Bible says: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?  Jeremiah 17:9

Just like a washing machine has various cycles, so too my heart needs to regularly go through the wash and rinse cycles which look like the following:

Confessing my sin

Asking for forgiveness

Being restored in fellowship with my husband and with God.  

Taking Care of My Dirty Laundry

Repetition is sometimes annoying.  I get tired of doing the same thing over and over. Yet, just like my laundry, my heart requires regular care and maintenance.  

Interestingly, when I repeat the wash and rinse cycles for my heart, God responds with His own repetitive response:  

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

What an amazing God!

Prayer

Oh Lord, help me realize that my heart needs ongoing cleansing.  May I not hesitate to head to the laundry room.  Amen.

Questions to Consider

1. How do you know when your heart is not pleasing to the Lord?
2. How do you fix this problem?