4000+ emails

Yesterday I began a daunting task of cleaning and purging my inbox. Have you ever let those pesky emails you don't intend to read, just sit in your inbox?  I did.  This seemingly impossible task provided me some time of reflection during the quiet napping of my children.  As I sorted, first by unread, then by sender I began deleting.  I realized that my inbox can be reflective of my life at times.  I thought of the constant work God does in my life, trying to rid my person of all the baggage that doesn't need to be cluttering my mind, body and soul.  One by one I deleted emails.  Then I realized that some of the same short cut keys that work in other programs work well in my inbox too.  Once I was armed with that realization, deleting emails became much easier.  As I continued on my deleting spree I found numerous emails from my favorite stores, newsletters and forwards from friends that I often enjoy.  They had gone unread and were now old and useless.  Then there were the emails that I didn't even request that should have been out as soon as they came in to my inbox.  The huge amount of unread emails cluttering my inbox often caused me to overlook the emails I received from important people in my life.  This morning as I opened up my freshly purged inbox, I found it so much easier to purge the new unwanted emails and to quickly read the important ones.


I think that God works much the same way.  He takes hold of the things that we are willing to release easily at first. Then, as we realize we are better for it, we release more life clutter to his deleting power.  The more we release to him, the more he is able to clear from our lives and the easier it is for us to see and hear him when he speaks to us.


In the past, I have jokingly remarked that sometimes I wish God would just send me an email.  Maybe he just did.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3