Shiny Reflection

Cloudy Mirror, No Shiny Reflection

Our family shares one bathroom. There are four of us who use it currently (hopefully the fifth- a toddler- will be an active user soon). Whenever I clean the bathroom, my first stop is the cloudy mirror. Even if I don’t have much time to do anything else, I at least take a moment and make it give a shiny reflection. Why? Because, to me, it makes the whole bathroom look much cleaner- even if other areas need attention. It’s a focal point in the room.

I’m no expert housekeeper, but I do know that in practically no time, with a husband and small children, that mirror is going to get cloudy again. Smudgy hands touch it, water splatters…stuff happens. The next thing I know, it’s time to wipe it down again. Sometimes I groan, “didn’t I just do this?” But I need to accept that it’s something that needs pretty constant attention if I want it to remain clear.

A Spiritual Mirror

In the same way, the Word of God is our spiritual mirror. When I sit down and read the words of my Savior (in the book of Matthew, for instance), and I’m straining to see myself reflected in His words, it’s a clue for me that it’s time to clean that mirror, and attend to it daily!

I have let too many things cloud up the mirror. I’ve let too many distractions come in and hinder me from seeing (and acting like) who I really am in Christ!

Can you relate?

New Year, New Chance to Shine!

As we close out this year, and start to think about the one ahead, let’s take a moment and resolve to keep those (figurative) mirrors giving a shiny reflection! This time of year, we’re starting to see a lot about New Year’s resolutions and planning our way into 2015. Let your first goal or resolution for the new year be to spend time in the Word daily. It’s easy to let the spots on the mirror accumulate making a cloudy reflection. We don’t notice we can’t even see ourselves very well any more!

As we do this, we will be better able to achieve the things God has put on our hearts to do in this coming year.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” Hebrews 12:1

Wipe off those smudges and spots, and throw the towel away! You will then see clearly to better assess the direction of the rest of your goals for the new year.

Regular “Maintenance”

If you’ve fallen out of the habit of reading your Bible daily, perhaps it’s time to look into a Bible reading plan- there are several apps available to help you achieve this goal (the one I use is Project 345 Plus on the YouVersion app), or even printable Bible reading plans (here’s a good round-up of options from a couple years ago). You may even find one hiding in your Bible! Pick the one you feel most comfortable with, and don’t let yourself feel guilty for missing a day here and there. Happy reading!

How do you remember to study your Bible daily? What positive changes have you noticed? Share your thoughts in a comment!

Becky is a wife of eight years and stay at home mom to three young children. She aspires to encourage women in Biblical truth on her blog, Happy Christian Home