Junk Drawer

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ~ 1 John 3:19,20

Junk drawers. They have an amazing knack for collecting, well . . . junk. My husband would tell you that we have far too many of these nuisances hidden in cabinets and furniture. While I get just as annoyed when I am trying to find that roll of scotch tape - I would have to say that I am an advocate for such drawers. With a little bit of tidying, they have become our family's favorite place to dig.

Getting home from work today, I reached in to locate a pen. I had a check to write, and while I was able to grab this writing utensil with ease, it was the rest of the gobbledygook that sent my blood pressure rising. For the next twenty minutes I dumped the drawer, and proceeded to put the junk back, in a more organized manner.

This is where the fun began. Purging papers and broken toys, old batteries and objects I could not determine the origin of -- they were all tossed. All that remained was a stack of sharpened pencils, some pens, our keys and a stack of gift cards. Glasses, a ruler and that role of scotch tape were tucked along the side of the organized compartments.

It got me thinking today, about how many times my heart will wind up just as much of a mess. The busyness of life causes things to get misplaced. God will reveal the contents through the tenderness of His Word, and like a busting drawer of junk, I feel like tossing the whole package altogether.

While we all may have some pruning to do now and then, God never instructs us to get rid of the whole tree. Character may need some sharpening, and a little of this and that arranged. But the purpose of the drawer (your heart) will always remain the same.

As God molds and shapes you into the image of His Son, never make the mistake of thinking you are a lost cause. We all struggle with weak areas. We make mistakes, we fall down. If God does not condemn you, then why should you?

Be at rest fellow soldier. God is so much greater than our untidy and sometimes wayward hearts. Get working on that drawer and don't forget to save the redeemable parts. While you may struggle with discerning the treasure from the trash, God is ready and able to help you sort the mess out.

He can show you which parts to save. God knows everything.