Swept Up In His Peace
Happy Friday!
Alright! So, my entire blog is about gaining intimacy with Jesus through cleaning. However, today something different happened.
Friday mornings I typically wake up with the expectation to clean my apartment. I start with the bathroom, move to the living room, the kitchen and then my room. But, when I woke up today I felt like the Holy Spirit told me to “wait-relax.” My initial thought was Lord, cleaning is relaxing for me (actually, it’s the end result!) However, I felt Him tell me again to “wait- relax.” So, instead of cleaning, I showered and got ready for the day, read my Bible and then started to make breakfast. As I was prepping my breakfast I noticed the kitchen floor needed to be swept so I took out the broom and started to sweep. As I was sweeping, I felt this overwhelming sense of peace. It was almost like I was able to appreciate the task at hand and not cleaning or working like a machine on autopilot. By being on autopilot, I lose the intimacy that I once found with Jesus by including Him in each cleaning task. It’s almost like I’ve forgotten Him, when it’s all about Him, even in the little details.
My cleaning is definitely a form of relaxation, prayer and at times, a way to gain control when things feel out of control. However, I want to make this clear to everyone, including myself. As a follower of Christ, I must give up my need for control and surrender my life to His control. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a plan or I am careless, but it does mean I am submitted to His Word and to Him.
I love the presence of the Lord. He knew I needed to “wait- relax.” Truthfully, at times when I don’t follow my routine or plan, I can get frazzled or aggravated, which is something the Lord also knows about me. However, He wasn’t looking to aggravate me or make me frazzled. He was looking for me to listen to Him. He was looking to bless me with His peace and presence in my task and not be on autopilot where I can miss it.
You’ll hear me say or write this often, include the Holy Spirit in everything. It will change the intimacy of your relationship with Him. It will bring you delight. It will teach you how to listen to Him.
