Are you ready to take out the trash?

Taking out the trash is a chore that we do not look forward to. We do it on a regular basis to get rid of the garbage and junk in our home. We take the trash to the front curb or the rear alley way to be picked up and carried away – never to be thought of again.
Most of us wouldn’t even think of allowing a bunch of smelly garbage and junk to build up in their home. However, many of us allow all sorts of garbage and junk to build up inside of us – and often times we never take this type of trash out at all.
The garbage and junk we allow to build up with in us can be broken down into two negative emotional categories. The emotions we feel when we wrong someone and the emotions we feel when we are wronged. When we feel we are wronged, we may withdraw and/ or hide our rage away from everyone – even those close to us. Or, we may lash out in unrestrained rage against those we perceived to have wronged us. Often times when we lash out in this manner, we have allowed anger to rise above the need to look at a situation, objectively, from all view points. Whether we withdraw or lash out, we never reach the point where we feel that the wrong done to us has been resolved to our satisfaction.
When we wrong others, we still either withdraw and / or hide our emotions of guilt from everyone – even those who are close to us and sometimes we withdraw or hide from ourselves. Hereto we sometimes, lash out in a raging fury at those we perceive are making much to do about nothing, regarding something we did or failed to do. Again, whether we withdraw or lash out, we often never reach the point where we feel we have satisfactorily resolved or dealt with our feelings of guilt.
The reason our emotions, whether they arise from a perceived wrong or from guilt, are never satisfactorily resolved is that we do not do a very good job of releasing wrongs or guilt. In other words, we are not taking out our negative emotional trash of obstinate rage and persistent guilt like we should.
It is important that you understand that our emotions are simply pleasure or pain that we feel on the inside, which moves us towards a certain direction in life. We need to confess and release the negative emotions that come from both perceived wrongs and guilt. Now why is this necessary? Well, these negative emotions that arise from both perceived wrongs and guilt which are never confessed or expressed. These negative emotions are garbage and junk that will move us in the direction of back roads, which will bring us to a destination of pain and hurt.
Isaiah 53:4 explains that, “…The chastisement for our peace was upon Him (Christ)…” Chastisement is defined as punishing somebody. Peace is defined as the freedom from oppressive emotions. In other words Christ took punishment upon himself so that we could have freedom from negative and oppressive emotions like unchecked rage and unyielding remorse. God never meant for us to hold on such harsh emotions.
Jesus wants us to confess our hurts and wrongs. In other words, Christ as our personal high priest wants us to take the garbage out and leave it on the curb for him to take away. Hebrews 4:14 says, “14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” In other words, we need to get the trash out of us by admitting what is wrong in us and letting it go. We need to create a Hebrews 4:16 mindset, where we “…come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We need to accept the freely given mercy and grace by a loving God who is firmly on his throne. Then release our anger or guilt by talking or praying with a Christian accountability partner, whom we have developed a relation with. We need to give mercy and grace to those who have wronged us.
Similarly, we also need to release our guilt by admitting it and praying with a Christian accountability partner you feel you can trust. Once again, we need to freely receive mercy and grace into our lives.
Whether it is a perceived wrong or personal guilt, we can use the experience we have gained, as a result, for positive personal growth and development in our lives. So take out the garbage that is inside of you. Leave the trash of wild anger and endless guilt on the curb to be hauled away. Once you remove this trash from inside of you, you will find that you have more room for personal growth and development in your life. What is your next step my friend? Are you ready to take out the trash (in your life) now?