Have you heard the story of the frog that was put in a cooking pot and happily stayed put while he gradually boiled to death? He just didn’t notice that the water was getting hot. I feel bad for the frog, but he illustrates a point.
It’s the subtle changes that can catch us unaware.
A couple of summers ago, we put a vinyl roll-up shade on the outside of our dining room window to cut the heat of the morning sun. It was pure white when we hung it, and let in plenty of light. We could enjoy a cool breakfast without feeling trapped in a dark cave. Nice.
Last fall, I opted not to wash and store the shade as I had in previous years. We just rolled it up and let it ride out the winter, and when summer rolled around, we unfurled it again.
It was weeks before I realized that our dining room was dingy and depressing. Not only was last season’s dirt trapped on the unwashed shade, but a fresh collection of dust was making it even grayer. So we took it down, hosed it off, and hung it back up.
Wow! Suddenly I wanted to eat at my table again. I could see the outdoors in all its bright beauty. I didn’t even realize how I had gradually accepted a dirtier, darker view of things until I washed what covered my window.
It works the same way in the spiritual realm.
You get caught up in the momentum of life and at some point you start drifting. You skip reading your Bible today…then it’s been a week. You decide you don’t really need to go to church this time … or this month.
Or, you keep up with the usual spiritual disciplines, but fail to notice that your heart has slowly disengaged. Your attitude gradually sours until joy is eclipsed by drudgery.
Over time, your perspective darkens.
You miss feeling happy. You wonder what happened to your sense of connection to the world. You’ve slowly drifted away from what brings life, and you want it back.
Maybe it’s time to take down the shade for a wash.
God’s Word has the power to wash the dirt off our souls, the grime stuck to us from the messy business of living. Psalm 51 is one great place to experience this.
“Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me….restore to me the joy of my salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Ah, that refreshes like a cool bath. You may want to read the whole Psalm aloud to get squeaky clean.
Has the dust of life has been sneaking up on you lately?