Reset

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.“

Isaiah 43:18-19

So, I’m starting this blog post while listening to the rhythm of an automated car wash. My car needed some attention, so I’m getting it taken care of this morning before I get too far into my day. The thought on my mind is “reset.”

Sometimes, we have to stop everything we’re doing in order to take care of what’s most important — our soul. Things start attaching themselves to our lives like the bugs in the grill of my car and they will eventually become harder to clean off because I’ve waited too long to stop and do what’s necessary. If I waited till a month from now to get my car cleaned, don’t you think it would be harder to get it spotless?

There are days when we need to stop whatever we’re doing and reset. Yes, go ahead and use up that vacation day to get back on track with God. Take time to pray, read the Word, go to church, or spend time with a godly friend who will listen and then lead you to Jesus. Reset.

Take a moment to go for a walk outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature, look up into the sky and have a chat with the Lord. Get away from the hustle and bustle of office work which just continues to pile up whether you’re there or not anyhow, and turn to the Psalms and breathe it in. Plunge yourself into a God-moment. Pause to listen to a song that touches your heart and leads you on a spiritual journey. Yes, find yourself and automated car wash and ask God to cleanse your heart and mind while your car is being cleaned. Reset! It doesn’t have to be a vacation day, it can be a simple bathroom break.

As we drive our vehicles, bugs smash against our windshield. Yuck!! It starts to affect our viewpoint until we stop and get it cleaned. My friend, sometimes we need to clean our spiritual windshield so things will come correctly back into perspective. We can’t see clearly through all the “ick” of life which too quickly alters our viewpoint.

Reset. We do it all the time to our computers, game consoles, internet, our vehicles, our goals, etc. We do it more often than we are even aware. Think about it, even our sleep is a reset for our bodies to recover and be ready for the next day. We do laundry to clean our clothes and make them ready to wear again another day. We clean our kitchens to begin again. We gas up our cars to keep rolling along. Sometimes we’ve got to forget what we’ve been going through, wipe our slates clean and begin again.

Sometimes we just need to recognize where we are and what we need to do about it. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our mess ups, God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us. 1 Peter 5:8 cautions us to be alert because our enemy is lurking, looking for someone he can devour. The enemy would like nothing more than for us to give up and thwart the purpose God has for our lives. If you’re discouraged or struggling today, know that you’re not alone. Deuteronomy 20:4 tells us that God is with us and will fight our enemies to give us the victory.

Take a deep breath, inhale the air that God supplies. Stand up, and realize God gave you the strength to do so. Hug your spouse or child, and know God is the reason that love is there. Look in the mirror, and see God’s creative genius staring back at you. Everything, and I do mean everything, we have and are is because of Him! He is the reason we are living and breathing. He loves us and has plans for us.

Take a moment to breathe all this into your soul right now. Stop and close your eyes. Admit that you need His help and ask Him for guidance. You might not feel it like a lightning bolt, but perhaps just a gentle nudging in your spirit which reminds you that you’re not alone, not forgotten, and that you’re special. Take a moment to let all the day wash away, ask Him to forgive your wrong thinking; stand there and allow God to embrace you and give you a reset. He has great plans for you!

Yes, sometimes, and maybe more often than not, we need to stop for a refresh. If not, we’ll find ourselves in an unrecognizable and humiliating state. That’s where the enemy wants us to dwell and focus on, while God wants to hold us close and whisper to us that He sees us and has great plans for us. Rest in that, my friend. It’s kind of similar to being in a car wash tunnel. Shut out from the world. just us, while Jesus does the work.

I didn’t finish this before the car wash ended, but I did reset. Won’t you join me now? Close your eyes and ask Jesus to refresh your mind and spirit, to give you a reset for a better and more joyful tomorrow.

God bless, be encouraged.