It was another Saturday and Mary knew she either had to tackle the pile of dirty clothes overflowing from her laundry basket or drench whatever recycled outfit she’ll wear next week with perfume.
Her wardrobe only had abandoned hangers. She hadn’t washed in 3 weeks and her trusted dry cleaner had travelled to attend her aunt’s wedding ceremony. To make matters worse, the washing machine in the compound decided to betray her yesterday. What a time for it to break down! She had no choice than to wash the clothes herself.
Seeing the mountainous pile of clothes, she knew It was going to be a long washing adventure. So she arranged a playlist of music to constantly supply the dopamine needed to get her hands busy until that mountain becomes a mole hill.
Mary washed for good four hours. Her hands were as white as the teeth of a Close up toothpaste model, and her back ached from bending for such a long time. However, the joy of seeing her empty laundry basket made the ache infinitesimal.
As she stood up to carry her washed clothes to the clothesline area, her empty laundry basket was toppled and blown away by a sudden gust of breeze. She stopped and went to retrieve it. On retrieving it, the same thing happened again. And again.
The fourth time, she was frustrated and screamed at the basket, “…be stable for once!”
Immediately, it was as if she heard a voice within her, “…you too!”.
Hearing that voice made her halt. This time around, she caught a glimpse of sense and decided to stuff the basket with her washing kits until it could withstand the breeze. Her predicament ceased and she went ahead to spread her clothes.
While spreading her clothes, the same voice from her within that replied her earlier resurfaced. “ Why did you get pissed off at the instability of that empty laundry basket when you are also in the same predicament? Lately, you have been carried around by every wind of temptations. You have thrown caution to the wind and your spiritual sensitivity has become dull over these past 2 months. What’s going on?”
Mary stopped spreading her clothes at that moment.
The Holy Spirit had caught her like Jesus caught Peter.
Her mind travelled back to how her life had been over the past few months.
She barely had the time to study God’s words and pray. Her new role as the assistant sales manager in UNIQUE plaza, the biggest shopping centre in town, has got her more busy than bees.
The quick breakfast she grabs from her plaza’s canteen cannot be compared to the spiritual breakfast she lived on. The weight of the muttered prayers and quick glance of the scriptures was far lighter than the two loaves of bread and scrambled eggs she has for breakfast daily.
Lately she has observed how easily she compromises her faith to fit into the lives of her other colleagues, the people she once preached to when she was a newly recruited sales rep.
The voice continued, “ like that basket was easily blown away because it was empty, don’t you think you are also carried by diverse winds of temptation because you are empty? Empty of the Grace that only comes from your interaction with God’s words?”
“ You were pissed off by how your basket was unstable to the wind. How do you think I feel about you ? Mary, I love you and want you to remain stable because I have provided everything you need to become very strong. However, if you don’t receive them into your life, you will remain empty despite my full provision. I need you to come back.”
The voice stopped speaking.
This time around, Mary was broken. She left her clothes and went inside to pray and make her ways right with God. She prayed through until she received a confirmation of peace in her heart.
From that day onwards, she became very conscious of her spiritual health. Despite her busyness, she prioritized her devotion with God and ensured her spiritual breakfast was ten times heavier than her physical breakfast.
It wasn’t until then that she began to experience revitalisation in not only her walk with God, but also in her other walks of life.
Dear Friend, have you ever paused to consider that you too are to be blamed for certain things you condemn?
As humans, we don’t like to be the one at fault so we defend ourselves and blame others, even when we are wrong sometimes. It takes the help of the Holy Spirit to help us accept our flaws or faults and repent from them.
Like Mary repented, let’s also do the same if the Holy Spirit convicts us of the same fault.
No more cachectic or pathetic spiritual life no matter how hectic the day may be.
No more prioritizing of daily bread above the Bread of life.
No more of being tossed about by the winds of temptations and trials.
As much as God’s grace was sufficient to make the heroes of faith stand strong, It is sufficient for me and you too.
God bless you!
Photo credits : Pinterest.