Its that time again. There’s a time to be born, to die, to laugh to weep etc etc etc. But right now – it is the time for squeezing… a few weeks ago I was right in the middle of the holidays- squeezing in things. Everyone does it, you know. Calendars booked to the max with parties and get togethers, houses overflowing with company, tummies full of goodies – one more cookie won’t hurt. Life was bursting at the seams. To experience the fullness of the season I would squeeze in “just one more thing!” hoping there wasn’t an explosion.
Now I find myself making New Year’s Resolutions to undo all of that holiday squeezing… There’s plenty to accomplish in my free time : cleaning the house, sorting and putting away, exercising, cooking and eating healthily. I’ve made so many resolutions to assist in all of my un-squeezing.
On the first few days of the New Year, earlier this week, I was dreading far more than just fitting into my skinny pants. But, in the middle of all of my resolutions, I heard something…
“Where am I supposed to fit in with all of this other stuff?”
It was his voice, I was sure of it. And I had to stop to think over His question.
The thing is, I have a lot of good and noble things on my agenda. Positive plans for change. But in my heart I know they mean nothing if they aren’t first and foremost about Him. If I’m totally truthful, I have other items that aren’t so good and noble – stuff I really need to get rid of. I realized I was going to have to let Him do some squeezing. And as painful as it is, I agreed to let Him do it.
The work has begun – I can already feel the power of His gospel gently massaging my heart, extracting all of the things that take up space. He is making room in my heart so all that is left is Him. His love swells, and everything else gets smaller and smaller… My love for Him grows in return and the rest seems so insignificant. A fresh walk with the Holy Spirit is a great way to kick off the new year…
Galtians 5: 19-26 sounds a lot like the kind of squeezing I need:
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And thosewho are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Its the best kind of New Year’s purge I’ve ever experienced. Its going to take time and persistence – like anything else I have to let Him continue the work year-round, or else I’ll start to collect all of those things all over again. But I begin 2012, freshly squeezed – ready to live again.
Thank You Heavenly Father for continuing this work in my heart!
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ! Philippians 1:6
daily portion 
a good and timely Word of truth . . . Thank you!