Rotten Milk and Orange Juice

The other morning I wanted to make my normal vitamin drink but my shaker bottle was dirty. I had to use a fork and my tall coffee mug. I mixed as usual and put the lid on. I took a drink and expected my yummy orange flavored supplement. Instead, I tasted spoiled milk and orange. Super delish.

When my hubby washed the cup and rinsed the lid, he set both into the dish drain. The cup is not dishwasher safe, so, it didn't benefit from the power jets of the dishwasher and the hot disinfecting cycle. He, of course, did not know this, and the hilarity ensued.

I instantly heard the Holy Spirit, "This is how complacency starts. You do the process of being a good Christian, as best as you think, but, some little bits are hidden under the lid of the soul and creeps into the cracks of your wounds, becoming rotten and infected."

Whoa. This really resonated with me because lately I have been dealing with a habit that I know has sin roots. I even know what the sin is. And I go the church every week and I keep up with my personal devotion time. I even attend life group and teach apologetics to my kids. I am doing all the "things" that should automatically "fix" me! Why am I still struggling? Because I have not allowed the blood of Jesus to go in deep, to the cracks and hidden places. I have not named the thing, out loud, to anyone. You know what I am talking about. The struggles you do not even tell your friends. The ones you have a hard time opening up to your spouse about. The ones that bring unexpected tears when the thought just enters your mind. Those are the places where the real life of Christ is meant to be; in His light, not hidden, and exposed for the purpose of redemption, not for shame.

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

It is interesting to note James equates confession of sin to powerful prayer. The mixture of rotten milk and orange vitamins is not powerfully effective in flavor. It is gross. It was pungent and sour. My mouth spit it out so fast, I didn't even have to think about it. Why are we not this way with our sin? A little compromise here and there...not a big deal. I will change it later. I will clean it up later. Soon, our mindset becomes part of something that is not founded in the Bible and we wonder why we suddenly are anxious, unable to sleep, stress eating and yelling at people in traffic...not that I do any of those things. :)

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

The biggest lies we tell ourselves are "I'm o.k. I don't need help. I've got this. At least I'm not like so and so." I find it interesting that Peter penned the advice and being submitted to God's mighty hand while also giving him all our worries.

But how do we go about doing this? I know I'm doing all the right things. I read my Bible, go to church, etc. What I don't do often, is confess my sin. I need to be healed. I need to acknowledge, out loud, the dark cracks of pride and hurt. This is the first step in the humbling process, and it leads me to casting my anxiety on Him. Once I do that, I feel His forgiveness and sweet presence in my room. I hear His gentle whispers of, "It's o.k, Sarah. You are still mine, precious and whole. You are loved, forgiven and worthy. I made you for a purpose. You need to be light and life to this world. Remember to come to me when you are weary of carrying this pain and explain my divine exchange to the world."

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Matthew 5:13

Let us not give people a mixed signal of believing in the Bible and yet acting like we do not. Let us leave a good and pleasant taste with whom everyone we come in contact.