Trash Talkin'

TRASH TALKIN'

My Kitchen Confession #4,287: (And, no, that number is not an exaggeration!) I am terrified of the garbage disposal. I am talking “redrum” petrified.

Every morning as I stir my cup o’ caffeine near the sink I am reminded of my fear. I have a constant inner dialogue with that Trash Churner and our talks never end well.

I imagine leaning over the sink to wash my hands or clean a dish or fill my glass with water when suddenly my beautiful wedding band slips off and falls in. Traumatized by the potential loss of my eternity band – I reach my hand into the sink without thinking and BAM! That is when it happens: The Disposal of Despair gets me. Pulls my hand into its maniacal mechanics, churns me right ‘round baby, like a record baby, right ‘round and exactly forty-seven minutes later I find myself emerging in a sewage treatment plant. There I am unable to escape the stench of wasted food and am mourning the loss of my diamonds.

I speak this to my disposal each morning. I also ask it, “What if I still wanted that chicken Eric (my husband) gave you last night? What if the stem of that final rhubarb was the exact stem that was going to make my pie?”

I’ve never baked a rhubarb pie in my life.

Hence the reason both the disposal and my husband roll their eyes every time I speak of my fear. Other than my cups o’ caffeine, I rarely make anything in my kitchen!

Intellectually I know this garbage disposal is really there for my benefit- to help clear out the trash in the kitchen and keep things clean, tidy and smooth sailing.

But my heart always looks at the thing and asks, “But what if I need what was just tossed in there for something later on…?”

I believe we do this spiritually at times. We fear the letting go of unclean things because we cannot seem to part with the idea of “But I need this thing…”

• To make me feel better about myself.
• To get me through the day.
• To ease the pain.
• To help me forget.
• To force me to remember.

We all have our reasons for holding on to areas of sin in our lives; sometimes I think we even fear the letting go of it because we wonder, “Where does that leave me?”

Alone, mauled by the scars of my sin’s disposal in the kitchen?

I love the words John the Baptist speaks in Luke 3:16. We find him here, pointing the people of Israel to someone greater than he:

“I am baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama [Jesus], to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house – make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

Jesus, putting in its proper place what is true.

Sin is a lie. We are told by Christ Himself in John 8:44 that Satan’s native language is dishonesty. It is his mission to dethrone all that is holy in our lives.

And so he speaks garbage disposal fear into our ears…and leads us to believe we simply cannot give that one up.

I am forever marked by the transforming power of Christ Jesus: He is the one who brings sight to the blind, makes joggers out of the lame, brings music to deaf ears, offers hope to the broken and light to those in darkness.

He is the One who takes the lies we believe out to the trash and sets up truth in its rightful place.

I want to encourage you to speak to Him your fears of letting go whatever it is you are holding on to so desperately. I know it all too well because I have been there. I’ve been the one firmly gripping the things of this world that I thought offered me more; offered me comfort and familiarity.

I’ve believed the lie… I’ve embraced Truth.

And believe you, me. You don’t need that old chicken like you think you do.

I promise.

You can read more of Kristen's writing at her site Exemplify or her personal blog, Taste Buds.

Prayer:

Father God, I thank you that in your Son Jesus I have been given a snow-white life! I confess to you today my fear of letting go of [……………..……]. Help me to recognize the lies of the enemy and embrace truth. I want truth; I want you to have your rightful place in my life.

Application:

Are there any specific areas of sin in your life you struggle regularly with? Is it possible you fear the letting go of them?

In what ways can you invite Christ to set truth up in your life? Perhaps through the speaking of a daily verse or the encouragement of a close friend?