One Sunday after my first chemotherapy treatment, I was
unable to go with my family to church because my cell counts
were too low. My husband, Gordy, leafed through our very
disorganized front hall closet to find his gloves. Hats and
scarves tumbled to the ground. After breakfast, I vowed to go
through the dreaded pigsty.
I took everything out of the closet and began to sort into
the usual keep and discard piles. As I surveyed the contents, I
was surprised to see items I had forgotten about. Some were
valuable but hidden under the disorganization. Other items
were taking up valuable space. I eventually developed a third
pile to ask Gordy and the kids about.
As I leafed through the mess, I thought about how God
was using cancer to clean out the closets of my own life. He
was forcing me to discard unneeded things like busyness and
pride. God was looking at what didn’t fit and also showing
me some buried “gems.” Cleaning out my coat closet began
a much-needed evaluation of my life!
O Lord, You know everything about me and have forgiven me
even when I fail You and cling to things that don’t last. I praise You
for exposing the condition of my closets through this trial and helping
me clean them out. How grateful I am that You care more for the
condition of my heart than my activities. I certainly see many things
in my life going up like hay and stubble in the flames of this trial.
It’s not easy being refined through fire, but I’m grateful for the
promise of an end result that brings You glory.
I praise You for being the Master Builder. Unless You build the
house, I labor in vain to build it. Thank you for working out your
good plan in my life. Thank You for forcing me to build on a Rock
and not on needless things that sink because of a sandy foundation.
You have hedged me in behind and before. You have laid Your
hand on me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. I praise You!