Move On - Let It Go

The process of moving has made us reach to the very back of every cupboard and closet to deal with the things that have have been stored and tucked away, hidden from our reach and view.  Many things tucked and stored away, I have forgotten I even had.

 I have thought of myself as a pretty minimal "saver" as I  frequently purge stuff; but  what I have found out, thru this moving process, is that I have frequently purged of the things I have kept in view and in reach, but there has been things hidden away, out of reach and out of view and easily forgotten.  These hidden items have been taking up space, even though I have not been paying attention to them.



Many of the things tucked away, out of reach and view, are things that I folded and neatly placed and sometimes it was stuffed in a big mess. It's stuff  I didn't know what to do with at the time that it was right in front of me; I couldn't use it, or let it go; so I put it where I didn't have to deal with it, and then promptly forgot about it, but let it remain there, taking up space.

This has been a very tangible exercise of what happens in our hearts.  We tuck away the things we don't know how to handle or where to go with it, so we just neatly tuck it away or wad it up in a ball, out of sight and out of mind. 

We have someone to give all our stuff to...the stuff from way back when, and the stuff from today.  Even when we are in the habit of praying and talking to Jesus, we often purge the things that are in view, but there are some things that we have forgotten are tucked away and hidden in our hearts. 
 We eventually have to dig it out from the dark corners and deal with it, in order to move on. 

 This is a picture of repentance.  

 I hear people say,

 Forgive and forget, 

well,

forgiveness is absolutely the right move, but forgetting doesn't always mean forgiveness has taken place. 
 

Some things may be forgotten, but it still takes up space, if it has not been dealt with, and for(given).  I often remember things differently, once forgiveness has truly taken place; it changes to a memory thru the lens of grace and mercy;  forgiveness given and forgiveness received is what makes the change and gives the new lens.

 It takes digging to the very bottom and bringing it to the Light and giving it to Him, in order to MOVE.

We have dug out all the stuff in the closets and cupboards and we have dealt with them, over the last few weeks of packing, a little at a time, a space at a time.  As we are getting ready to move and start living in a new STATE, I have had to dig to the bottom of my closets and my heart to start fresh and free of garbage and burdens.

We taken loads of stuff to the dump and to thrift stores, it feels like our house has been on one big cleansing diet, and now we are cleaner and freer to move.

Yesterday, as I was coming up the driveway from my run before the big pack day, I prayed that we only hang onto the things that keep us moving forward in Jesus and the things that help us remember His faithfulness. God has been so good and so faithful in our lives,  I want to remember and I want to move on, looking back and forward at the same time.  I pray I can live in the present, in the tension of  looking back and remembering God's faithfulness, and moving forward in faith and freedom.  I pray we don't hide or  hang on to things that only weigh us down.  May we  only hang on to the things we can use,  the things that add beauty and the things that have purpose in our lives.

I'm going to make a conscious effort to purge more often, not just the things in my immediate view, but the things that I want to hide away and forget about.

I prayed Psalm 51 this morning in my time alone with the Lord, and then Jaina preached a sermon at church that absolutely confirmed God had heard my prayer (along with many others apparently....as there was a line of people after the service to thank her for bringing such a powerful word this morning.) She even used the exact Scripture that I had prayed a few hours earlier. God is so good and incredibly personal and intimate.

Psalm 51:10-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.

God encouraged me throughout the whole service; our church family prayed over us and sent us out with beautiful prayers and blessings.

I'm going to miss many people and things about this time and space,

but I will look back and remember with great gratitude, and move forward in faith.