“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor. 12:9, ESV)
When I clean my house, I usually keep my head down. Everything from my eye level down generally looks orderly and neat; like someone cares about it. One morning, while brushing my teeth, I glanced over the countertop and noticed the beauty of my clean and peaceful bathroom and felt proud of my work to make it look that way.
Then I looked up.
The light fixture over the sink had a massive cobweb clinging to it. I looked around the room, and in each corner, there was another wispy web delicately swaying in the air. I roamed through the house and discovered every single room had cobwebs. At that moment, I realized my entire house needed care, especially the forgotten, hard-to-reach places. I grabbed the vacuum with the telescoping wand, and with eyes trained upward, cleaned everything that needed my attention. Until then, it had not crossed my mind that a clean space included everything, not just what is conveniently accessed or at eye level.
The condition of my heart is much like my bathroom. Everything looks lovely on the surface, where I’ve spent time and attention designing the space. But cluttering up the back corners are my wounds and propensity to run away from grace. It is difficult to face things that are painful or poke at my pride, but we are told, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, ESV). It is wonderful news indeed, that I am not left alone to clean up my own cobwebs. God is faithful to work in me as I yield to Him. If you are in that same place, have the courage to invite God in. His grace is sufficient for you.
