A Spacious Place!

I was spooning the contents of a soup packet into a Pyrex dish when inexplicably, the packet slipped from my grasp and its contents began to ooze their way into my cutlery drawer! Oh no! Just what I needed! Not! We were off the next day on a little getaway, so I had lots to do. And now … this! It was bad enough part of my beloved's dinner was missing, but the bigger problem was that there was sticky broth splattered everywhere! Not a good start to the New Year!

I yanked the inner drawer out and placed it on the kitchen counter. I then removed the spoons and forks which were sticky with soup. A far bigger task was on the horizon! I was now forced to clean the entire drawer. And properly. After we finished dinner, I set to work. Not that I had the time for it, but because it had to be done! I removed all the utensils from the two inner plastic drawers that reside in the larger drawer. I washed them and dried them, then placed the dry forks and spoons, knives and teaspoons back. But oh dear! The larger draw was in total disarray! A mess!

It was filled with rubber bands! They stuck to various bits of cutlery. Cleaning it out had been one on my To-do List for ages, but I'd never got around to it. Until I was yanked by my collar and forced to do it. Know what I mean? What a lot of rubber bands cluttered my drawer! And surprise, surprise, I found all my missing teaspoons, hiding under my soup spoons! I removed stuck rubber from some of my newly re-discovered teaspoons. I threw away massive amounts of rubber bands collected (unnecessarily) from all the bunches of asparagus I had bought over the years! Silly me.

I was now wise enough not to put my rubber bands in the open receptacle I'd used before. Instead I opened a large zip lock bag. That would do much better and the rubbers wouldn't dance all over my cutlery! Two hours later I was done. It was a good night's work. Hooray! The shining cutlery and clean drawer looked great. Besides, I now had my missing teaspoons back. I wouldn't even mind a friend peeking into my cutlery drawer now! I revelled in the beauty of that decluttered drawer!

Seven years ago, I asked God to make me a worshipper! And God being God, took me up on my word. (Be careful what you pray for)! Then began the the most challenging season of my life. Heartache. Pain. Tears. (Too many!) Seeking long and hard after God. Copious prayer. Copious lament. (The Lament Psalms became my food and drink) Seeking, finding. Knocking, asking. I had been just like my cutlery drawer – and God had to forcibly take me apart in order to make me wholly His.

He decluttered my heart. It was no mean task. He stripped me of all I held dear. He removed the useless rubber bands of my life (attachments that had to change) and threw them away. The adversity he allowed was not to harm me but to transform me. It's been a long, slow, painful process. But I'm so grateful that its rewards have been many. Sweet rich fellowship with Jesus. Understanding more of God and His ways. Revelations of His goodness and majesty. Learning to live through my spirit rather than my emotions. Learning to let go. Learning to trust God. A heart that beats for God alone. Less of me. More of Jesus.

And so in faith, I now declare that the old has ended. That a new season has begun.

It will be my Season of Singing. And 2024 is my Year of Worship.

I seek to live smack bang in the middle of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

'Be joyful always. Pray continually. In everything give thanks.'

Just when we think we're strolling in a safe place, like a giant football falling from the sky, life smacks us squarely in the head! But God uses adversity to change us from the inside out. He eventually brings us to a spacious place within – where He dwells, where we can marvel afresh at His goodness, greatness, mercy and love. And we cannot help but bend our knees in worship. Not that I always feel bubbly and smiley. But I've learnt that true worship is not based on good circumstances or good feelings. It's about feasting on God. Becoming aware of His greatness. Surrendering totally. Choosing to be thankful ... at all times and all places and through all seasons.

Dear friend, if you too have been assaulted by tough moments or circumstances that have taken the wind out of your sails, take heart. You are not alone. Our Father loves us. Every one of us. His plans for us are always good. The Refiner's fire burns steadily for those who desire to walk in His ways. So take courage, dear one. The Lord knows what He is doing. And out of the hard places and zig zag pathways will come blessings abundant and verdant pastures. You will reach a spacious place of His presence, provision and peace. So come! Let's hold hands and walk through 2024 together. We can trust our lives in His sure and capable Hands. 

Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes

so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2

He brought me out into a spacious place;

He rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:19

He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3

He anoints my head with oil. My cup runs over. Psalm 23:5

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. Psalm 23:6