Years ago, my family and I were planning on having guests over to our home for an evening. In order to prepare for their arrival, I offered to help my mother with the cleaning, so she instructed me to dust the living room.

“Ugh!” I thought to myself as I began the chore, “There are so many knick-knacks in this room.”

Fifteen minutes later, I returned to my mother, announcing, “I am done!”

“You can’t be done yet!” Mom exclaimed.

Following her back into the living room, I watched my mom lift up one of the knick-knacks, revealing the dust beneath it.

“No, Mom!  I shouldn’t have to dust under all the objects.  Besides, the guests won’t lift them up anyway.”

At various stretches in our lives, we are faced with times of “dusting” the many experiences, memories, and challenges that we have accumulated over the years.  Having actually gone through these times is not as critical as how we handle these memories now and their impact upon us.  In our own human perspective, we as individuals can only cleanse ourselves on a surface level.  As we allow ourselves to undergo a thorough dusting of the pains, sorrows, and growing edges of our pasts, our merciful God can reveal the areas to which we are blind.   Then, through this time of dusting, we can allow the Spirit to touch all the different “knick-knack” areas, comforting us through all the difficulties, enriching us further in all our joyous times, and stretching us to fit the design God has crafted for each of our lives.

Lord, dust off each of our lives this day. Cleanse our bodies, minds, and spirits that we may draw closer to You and reach the greatest potential that You’ve called us to become. Amen.