All clogged up
You've seen your kitchen sink refuse to drain because a piece of food is lodged in the drainpipe, and the water cannot get past it. Perhaps you've been brushing your teeth one morning and noticed your bathroom sink has water sitting in it because hair and soap residue prevents the sink from draining. We've all dealt with clogged drains in our homes. It's just something we have to maintain from time to time. Sometimes this is a simple fix, while other times, we have to call in a professional because we have let it go so long that we cannot fix it ourselves.
Recently, I had this exact problem in one of my bathroom sinks. Every time I washed my hands, I would think, "I have to fix this thing!" because I'd watch the water start to rise in the sink rather than drain properly. Each time I brushed my teeth or helped the kids wash their hands, I would mumble under my breath about how annoyed I was with the condition of this sink. I would say out loud to Nick, “We have to take care of this sink this weekend!” as we hustled to get the kids out the door for the morning. A few more days would go by, the weekend would pass, and we still had a clogged sink.
One day I finally had enough and thought I'd get cute and try to fix an overly clogged-up sink with vinegar and baking soda. When I say "cute," I mean, this sink had been too clogged for too long to think some cute idea about basic household products was going to take care of this. We just let it go for so long, we needed to bring in the big guns.
Our hearts get this way sometimes, too. We have a long to-do list to get through for the workweek, plus the household chores, running errands, taking care of family members, getting the schoolwork done, and on and on. We wake up in the morning, roll out of bed, and when our feet hit the ground, it is go, go, go all day long.
Just like the sink, when you start to see yourself get short-tempered, flustered by the hustle and bustle, or having mood swings, maybe it is just because you haven't spent much time taking care of yourself. Maybe you need to schedule a pause in your day.
Seriously, maybe you need to set the alarm in your phone for a certain time every day where you simply sit and listen for God's voice. Maybe you don't say a word for a whole five minutes, but you sit in silence and let God give you a huge hug and tell you how much He loves you and how much awesomeness He has in store for you.
It also helps to give yourself a few minutes before a big meeting or before attempting your dreaded tasks for the day to say, "Lord, I want to stop right now and give this meeting or task over to You." Then simply rest in the knowledge and truth that God will be there for you. He will give you peace and wisdom.
When we do this, I believe the Holy Spirit can flow through us more freely. When we let all of the "stuff" in this world clog up our hearts like a clogged-up sink, the Holy Spirit can't flow properly.
Taking a moment to enjoy the little things in life and be thankful for those things is a great way to keep your heart from clogging up. Pausing to have a conversation with a friend rather than rush away can be uplifting. Doing something a little silly and laughing rather than being uptight 24/7 can be great for the soul. Spending time reading the Bible and listening to worship songs or even the birds singing can bring so much peace.
How much would it really set us back to take time for these moments?
I’d challenge you to try this. Set a time of day after work when you are at home to put your phone on the charger and not touch it. Don’t look at Facebook or TikTok. Don't check your email. Don't read the news. Do this for one whole hour. It is freeing to know that the world is not going to end, and you will not miss something if you disconnect from the constant flow of information coming out of the rectangle we seem to be fixated on so much. Most of what that phone has to say can honestly wait.
Just put the phone on silent, sit outside, read a book, go for a walk, or have a good laugh with those you love.
If we don’t take time to keep our hearts from getting clogged or backed up with junk, we will eventually need help because we will have a breakdown sooner or later. We will be forced to take time off work because we simply feel overwhelmed. We will need to find a way to take a break, or our bodies will shut down.
When you take time for yourself and rest in the hand of the One who made you, you will find you are not so flustered and are more patient. You have more understanding, are less likely to get angry, and feel so much better overall.
Take care of yourself. Don’t let your heart get clogged up. Let go, and let God.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
~Jesus
(Matthew 11:28-30)
Go be a blessing,
April Bergez
Worship Leader