Trickles of Blessing?

Yesterday, poor Jason's shower was a mere trickle.  That happens from time to time in our bathroom.  Dirt and debris build up in the filter of the showerhead and eventually block the water flow.  Jason was less than thrilled with his mediocre shower and immediately asked me if I had noticed the water pressure in the shower steadily decreasing.  I had to be honest.  "No, I can't say that I've noticed."  (I promise you, I hadn't!)

Jason gathered up the appropriate tools and immediately went to work.  He took apart the shower head and removed the filter.  Sure enough, that thing was clogged big time!  No wonder he couldn't get any water flow.  After cleaning the filter, he put the showerhead together again and instructed me to let him know if I noticed a difference when I got my shower.  Boy, did I!

I would not be exaggerating in telling you that the water nearly knocked me down.  I wasn't expecting so much force from my little showerhead.  How had I not noticed how much the water pressure had changed over time?  How was it that I hadn't missed the exquisite nature of a shower that pounds on the body like a thousand tiny hammers?  It was the best shower I had had in a long time, and I didn't want to leave. (In fact, I'm thinking about getting another one right now.  Oh yeah!  Well, maybe I'll finish this post first, but then. . . )

I think the reason I didn't notice the diminishing water pressure was because it happened so gradually.  Day after day, the filter became a little more clogged, then a little more, then a little more.  It happened so slowly that I never realized that anything had changed, but once Jason cleaned out that filter, whoa, what a difference!

The same thing can happen in our hearts.  Little by little, they become clogged and weighed down by the dirt and debris of this world.  Things like resentment, anger, and discontentment can gradually block the flow of love, mercy, and forgiveness.  Like my shower, the blockage doesn't happen all at once.  Instead, it builds slowly over time, allowing the heart to become more and more congested without our ever realizing it.

Fortunately, there is a cure, and as strange as it may sound, it is the same remedy that unclogged my showerhead--someone needs to clean out the filter.  In the case of my shower, that "someone" was Jason (like I would know how to do it!).  In the case of our hearts, that "someone" is Christ.  When we confess our sins, He will cleanse us of all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).  He alone has what it takes to remove the resentment, anger, and discontentment from our hearts, and once He does, boy, will we notice a difference!

I wish I could tell you that, like salvation, this cleansing is a one-time fix, but alas, that is not the case.  No, if we're not paying attention, our hearts will become clogged once again, just like my showerhead.  But we can prevent (or at least lessen) this problem with a simple, heartfelt prayer found in the Psalms: Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Now that I realize, once again, how awesome my shower can feel, I don't want to let it get clogged up again.  I would miss far too many great showers.  It's not worth it!  I can say the same for my heart.  I don't want to miss out on the best that God has for me because my heart is too blocked by gunk to allow His spirit to flow freely as it should.

Showers of blessing or trickles of blessing?  The choice is ours.

Lord, please search my heart and point out anything that I need to get right with you.  Help me to empty my heart of anything that will hinder my walk with You, and lead me in the way that You have prepared for me.  Amen!