Inside out

 

I wash at least one load of toddler clothes every day. The rinsing, drying, and folding of little jammies, pants, socks, shirts, and big boy undies is now part of my daily routine.

But something is starting to bug me.

The clean clothes are coming out of the washer turned inside out.

Yes, inside out.

I don’t know why this annoys me, but it does. I can only assume that the washer deems it necessary to turn every single piece of clothing inside out to give it the best cleaning possible.

I should probably let go of my frustration and be thankful that my washer is doing its job, yes?

 

 

Somedays it feels as if I am a “big boy undie” too, and that God is turning me inside out as He washes me clean.

Last week was icky and stinky. Health issues, computer issues, and assertive toddlers left my heart soiled and dirty. By the end of the week, it felt as if God placed me on his washboard, turned my heart inside out, and was scrubbing away. Not gonna lie… it hurt! But He worked to remove the stains of impatience, anxiety, and frustration that kept building, and building, and building.

The only way He could clean me was to turn me inside out. Being inside out helped me to see my dirt. It helped me to confess and to ask for forgiveness.

It helped me become clean again.

I may never understand my laundry phenomenon or the various ways God chooses to clean me. What I do understand, is that my God cares enough to notice me. I understand that He hates the dirt in my life. I understand that His daily cleansing and forgiveness is what I need the most.

So, the next time you do your laundry and notice that your shirts are inside out, remember that God desires to do the same to you.  Let go of your frustation when God begins to scrub. He knows what He is doing, and knows that every single piece of sin needs to be removed so that you and I can receive His cleansing and forgiveness.

 

 “Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.”

~Psalm 51:1-2 NIV1984