Kinks of Life

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I John 1:9

As I was lugging the water hose in the backyard and watering the flowers around our pool, I suddenly ran out of water pressure. I yanked and pulled to try and straighten the hose as I turned to examine the problem. I saw in the distance a kink in the middle of the long hose running across the yard. I shook the hose in hopes that it would adjust itself and release the tight kink, but nothing worked. In frustration, I put down the nozzle, walked over to the place where the kink was, and carefully removed the knot. The pressure of water was completely released and in full flow again.

As my frustration subsided and I walked back to the end of the hose to finish my watering, I was reminded of how many times we can get kinks in our life. I reflected on the many times an angry spirit, unkind word, lack of faith, or a root of bitterness has clogged the flow of God’s Spirit through me. Oh, the Spirit is still there, but it unable to flow freely due to a blockage in my own heart.

When I had the kink in the water hose, I couldn’t shake the problem out and move on, but I had to take the time to put down the current project of watering the flowers, go directly to the problem and take care of it. Likewise, I can’t just shake off the things that are blocking the flow of God’s Spirit in me and keep going about my business. If I had not taken care of the kink in the hose, it would have remained useless to me because I had no water flowing into my flowers. In the same way, I must take the time and emotional energy to address the problems of sin in my life, by confessing them, or I am useless in the Master’s hand. He so desires to pour Himself on others through me, but I must make sure that the “hoses” of my heart and life are completely opened and unblocked in order for Him to have unhindered flow.

What about you? If you take a serious look at the flow of God and His activity in your life, can you see a strong steady surge, a trickle, or do you have signs of a kink somewhere? As God uses us and expands our ministries and circle of influences, we must be daily checking for kinks. We all know when you water the yard and pull the hose further and further from its connection, it tends to get harder to manage. For us, we can go as wide and as far as God leads us and have all the power we need to refresh the lives of others as long as we take the time to check for kinks and keep our hearts and lives open for His Spirit to freely flow through us. So, let’s do a check in our lives today for kinks and do whatever it takes to keep our hearts and lives open for the power of God to stream through.

Lord, thank you that you even desire to use me at all. Thank you that we can confess our sins to you, and be completely forgiven and useful in your Divine plan. Show me the kinks in my life today that are hindering you from doing all that you desire to do in me and enable me to clear my life from all that is not of you so that you can pour into the lives of others through me.

In Him ~
Tammy…

You can read more from Tammy at Steps in Our Journey