Day 14: Throw Out the Garbage

Once in a while we'll walk into the house and be greeted by our dog Mozart sheepishly greeting us.  Immediately we know there's a problem and it will only take a few seconds for us to find the scene of the crime. 

A trail of garbage somewhere. The mystery is solved. Someone's forgot to throw out the garbage and Mozart, our dog,  has helped himself to it.  EEEEWWWWW! The things this dog has digested is disturbing! 

The solution is simple...if we'd simply remember to throw out the garbage, it wouldn't become a problem.  As the garbage sits around, it begins to stink and decompose, to the point that the contents can begin to leak out and get all over the place.  Now you've got a bigger and messier problem. 

Unresolved issues are sort of the same. The longer they sit the more problematic they become.

Bruised feelings become so sensitive that even an innocent act on the part of the offender can be enough to set off the smoke alarm of a broken heart.

 Unresolved issues are like garbage that sits too long.  It begins to stink and can become a big mess.  But God doesn't want us to have lingering issues because he knows the repercussions of misused feelings. 

Ephesians 4:26-27 says, 

“In your anger do not sin,” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. 

Daily, we are to resolve our issues of frustration or hurt.

Jesus spoke about this as well in Matthew 5:22-24

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

 Jesus told us to be reconciled with each other before offering a gift to God, before coming to the altar be reconciled. He was saying before you come to offer anything to me, make sure that your
relationships are in order.    

 I'll admit this is a tough one.  Sometimes its hard to let go of ill feelings because we want to remember the hurt in order to guard our heart from letting ourselves get hurt again. Other times our grudges can be our way of punishing the one's who's hurt us. 

In order to be reminded of this principle, every night we are going to throw away any garbage that is left in the house. To remind ourselves that a little garbage can become a big mess. 

Do you have any lingering garbage?

Before the sun goes down throw out your garbage.

Forgive.

Love one another.

      

 Romans 12:17-18

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone.