I had a specific time with God several years ago where I felt Him revealing Himself to me. As if He wanted to speak more than I thought to ask. At first I wasn’t sure if any was the presence of God. But I would ask in thought, if this is you, show me this way please. He did. I considered this my Samuel moment. It was time to sit and dialogue. In this process, I was encouraged to go through a sanctification process, Where I began to clean up areas of my life that were questionable. God helped me with this. Not all of it had been obvious until God showed up in the middle of it. His presence is truly a light to our feet. I began to feel a quick response to what I called a gray area. Some were personal convictions. Some were obvious that it had no room in this life.
As we know, the plan for spring cleaning is not to get rid of spoils. That’s a daily or weekly thing. Spring cleaning is getting rid of things you enjoyed for a time, have no more time for, function, use, or need. They may even be good… good old things. Making space for the new is the general goal.
One of my things for me was questionable entertainment. If it was a TV show or a movie that had before been under question to me, I began to measure it with how my spirit felt after. Do I feel poor in spirit? Do I feel heaviness, resentment, bitter, fear, etc. Im not talking about the obvious vulgarities in the media today. My focus was now on the ones that came in a form of good, but yet it exchanged my joy for hopelessness, or impure thinking. What was my state after? And was it costing me the work that God was doing in me or through me?
I know there is still suffering in life as a Christian even when we are choosing better things in our life. Im talking about unnecessary partnership with things that made it in with no purpose, and no fruit to bear.
Here was a red flag thinking for me: “its ok, it does not effect me, I will not show it to children or my pastors or grandma, or husband”, or whoever made the list. I had to ask myself why am I not able to show this elsewhere.
If it wasn’t for what God was doing ahead of me, I may have stayed with some of these things or habits to pass the time, it felt like it did no harm. It was all personal anyways. But God doesn’t just go after what is seen. He goes after what is unseen. He goes after the personal… Because he goes after the person. When God sees a person for Himself, He doesn’t leave them in the mud. He pulls them out, cleans them up, adorns them, He displays His beauty. His prized possession, His very own people, letting the world know His glory. His victories become your victories.
A matter of the heart.
Offense was another I had to release. I can go deep with this topic, but to put it shortly: resisting offense was the strategy of keeping the door closed to unforgiveness, jealousy, hate, resentment, bitterness. It was my Godly strategy of keeping my heart clean. (Proverbs 4:23),
Removing my personal expectations of people. As God was revealing my personal issues, It literally gave me grace for others, He saw I wanted out of offense, and he exchanged it for humility, with the mindset of remembrance that I was once in their shoes. I released the judgement seat and my own justice, and came in agreement with Gods justice for the person. Many times it is grace grace grace, a lot of patience, and a lot of love. Not always bringing correction although being healthy enough to have those difficult conversations. I have had hard conversations of calling out ones sin or wrong doing. That is also love, but in the right order of God with His leading and guiding. Correction is still love. Releasing offense left my hand now open for healthy discipleship.
These are a few example of what I let go of, but there was more, and Im sure there will be more. The work is not done. I hope to still teach from a place of victory with the seasons Ive been able to process with the help of God. I know I am not done growing. There is more growth, maybe even more to let go of. I write this out to encourage you to release what is dying, to release what gives no room for what God wants to do in your life. I do want to add a little pressure to those who have said yes to the call, but have not been teachable or flexible for the work of God. It is worth what you’ve agreed with. It is a serving advantage that God will want you to let go of what could possibly choke out your desires that align with God, whatever that may be. Let go of it, and move forward in your race. He will surely mature you in your walk with your yes and your release.
Christina Lewkowitz 