Removing Dross

 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40 

  

  I like to periodically examine my life and living space and remove what is useless, take away the waste material or unnecessary--the dross from my life. 

  There is clutter that can build up in our garage, closets, and throughout our homes. And there is also mental clutter that clogs up the arteries of our thinking. Relationships, habits, activities that are unhealthy should also be regularly examined and the dross removed. 

  I always feel much better when I remove needless clutter and free up my living space inside my home. It takes so little time to let useless things accumulate and requires effort to then remove them. 

  Yet once I remove the unhealthy, the useless, the waste material from affecting body, mind and soul, the cleansing effect is wonderful. 

  Water that is unmoving can quickly become stagnant and poisonous. It is the same with clutter, unhealthy habits, and harmful relationships. We must be willing to remove the dross and let go of those things that needlessly get in our path, keeping us stagnant and from moving forward. 

  When we clean out the closets in our house and in our mind, we not only have a sense of accomplishment, but it also frees up our living space and allows us to think and see things clearly. No more junk hiding out of sight but still in fact taking up space, no more thinking fogged up by worry and dread over things beyond our control and solely belonging to God’s provision and prerogative alone. 

  I encourage you to examine your life, both inside and out, and ask God to help you let go of worthless things that have been holding you down and clogging up your life. Whether material things, old hates and grudges, or long held habits that must go, let the dross fall away and find your life purer within and without. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, we hold onto things too long, and place too much importance on the useless instead of what’s truly important. Remove the dross from our lives in whatever form it takes. Amen.