Covered Trash Cans

Philippians 1:6

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

I am so glad we have covered trash cans to hide the smells of our trash. Poopy diapers, for example. That’s a pretty powerful smell. A really nasty powerful smell. Call me lazy, but it’s really nice not to have to take the dirty diaper - and our son - outside to the trash company’s can (which is also covered) every time I change him so the stench doesn’t permeate my entire home.

Of course, if we don’t eventually take the trash out, cover or no, it will spread its smell. I've noticed the same in my spiritual walk. If I don’t take the trash out, no matter how much I cover over it, the smell will leak out. Whether it’s bitterness, selfishness, pride, worry... if not brought before God and dealt with, they decompose and I begin to reek even to those around me.

I think God gives us spiritual covered trash cans out of mercy, simply because we have so much trash we couldn’t possibly deal with it all at once. So it sits until the time is right, and the smell begins to leak out. If I am stubborn and don’t deal with it, the smell worsens until I am forced to deal with it or cease functioning. At least, that's been my experience.

I have a tendency not to notice my own spiritual trash until the smell slams into my senses. (Sometimes not even until someone else smells it and I notice their reaction.) I’ll start to feel my heart beat a little faster, or I’ll snap at someone. I catch a whiff of that powerful stench and take a good look at what I’m thinking about. Usually, it’s my poopy diaper of worry. Worry is one of the most difficult for me. (You can see more on that in Impressions - Worry and Meditation.)

I would love to be able to catch myself earlier - and God is leading me there. I can look back and see God has brought me further than when I just sat in the stench of worry, and slowly lost my ability to function. Thank God for His grace, mercy, and love! Praise the Lord He continues His work in us, so we can choose Him, and see spiritual change over time!

I am thankful for covered trash cans, as another medium of God’s glory and grace. Have you noticed your nose wrinkling lately?