The Power of Looking...

Part I I recently purchased a home and inherited a number of "problems", some big and some small. The drain in my bathtub was malfunctioning. Standing in ankle deep water in the shower was irritating and started my day on the wrong foot. Thoughts of the expense of a plumber plagued my shrinking checkbook. One afternoon I decided to take a look into this problem for myself. I tried pressing down and lifting up on the tub stopper which had a rubber ring underneath the lip that was blocking the water. I tried turning it to get it to go down tighter; it wouldn't. I turned it the other way and it came right out. My success was incomplete as the water did not make the magical gurgling sound of a free-flowing drain. I bravely stuck my fingers down the drain and pulled out wads of hair. Problem solved.

Our difficulties in life are a lot like a clogged drain. Ignoring our troubles never solves the issue. The deeper we stuff garbage down and the higher the pressure builds, the greater the stench and the harder it is to avoid our dilemma.Each problem we face brings its own set of unique challenges, but the first step toward a solution is to admit we have a predicament. Admitting when we make a mistake is the first step toward rectifying it. Admitting we have an addiction is the first step toward recovery. Admitting when we are afraid allows us to eventually take charge over the fear. Admitting we need other people is the first step toward building future relationships. When we avoid addressing issues because we want to avoid conflict, our conundrum continually grows. Bringing our obstacles out into the open illuminates the darkness. Sticking my fingers down the ugly bath drain is an appropriate word picture for what is required to start fixing our dilemmas. We could discover something sticky or nasty, but sometimes a woman has to do what a woman has to do. Getting rid of that revolting glob of hair or quite literally the source of your problem might be messy and dirty at the time, but so worth it in the end. You have the power to change your life because you have the Creator of the universe on your side. Be brave and courageous when facing your habits, hobbies or hungers that are dragging you down. Admit your issues; confess your sins; work out your salvation with fear and trembling;God is at work in us for His good pleasure. Freedom is worth it. Gaining our freedom allows us to fulfill our purpose as God's sons and daughters in the earth. We were born to be free; He who the son sets free is free indeed. Continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] [a] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Philippines 2:12b-13 AMP