What’s Clogging Your Heart?

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ~ John 14:26 NIV

Do you ever notice that God speaks to you through everyday occurrences and plants a precept in your soul? If it seems God wired your brain that way, welcome to my world. Recently, He used this very ordinary task to speak to my heart.

As I was cleaning off the lint trap in my dryer, my mind took a detour. I’ve had many a repairman emphasize that cleaning the lint trap after every cycle is critical and I began to wonder why this is so important?

After a few well-placed internet searches, I discovered the lint trap is critical to maintaining optimal dryer performance, but it also prevents potential fire risks. Really?

I never thought a clogged lint trap could be a fire hazard! However, according to Whirpool, lint is highly flammable. If the lint trap isn’t regularly cleaned, the debris clogs the exhaust hose and this creates a serious fire risk.

As followers of Christ, we ask God to guard our hearts and He sends the Holy Spirit to show us the way. The Spirit leads us to see the debris and identify things which could steer us into unnecessary trials. The Holy Spirit is our helper and assists us with discerning truth, understanding God, identifying things that are hindering our faith, and recognizing obstacles that would cause us to stumble in our walk with Christ.

Ephesians 4:30 (NLT) instructs us to “not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live.” Verse 31 continues with “Get rid of the bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”

Isn't this the equivalent of removing the lint from the dryer’s trap? The enemy delights in clogging our hearts with thoughts that fuel a fire of distraction and take our focus off of God’s truth.

But the Holy Spirit helps us to see the heart of God. He reminds us of the words He has placed there and opens our eyes to His truth, so we can name each piece of lint that’s clogging our hearts. 

Be alert and look for the gems of wisdom God places in your path every day. Let the Holy Spirit teach you all things and remind you of everything He has written on your heart.

POINTS to PONDER

●      What distractions are interfering with your faith-walk today?

●      What steps can you take to reroute your thoughts?