
That's a lot like what happens to our hearts. We get a new heart, filled with the Spirit of God, and His Holy Wind blows pure and refreshing through our lives. We know that we've been changed for the evidence is there. We are also aware of what we no longer are--the jagged scar sin left behind reminds us. Though the big things have been set aright in our lives, we see the consequences of choices poorly made and bad decisions gone awry. Sometimes the disaster of those moments were the very things that motivated us to seek God in the first place, much like water coming through the ceiling warned us something was wrong even before the unit completely stopped. We usually accept the scars because we understand the aftermath of a sinful past. What we don't expect is residual sin making an appearance in our lives.
We are taken aback when we spew chunks of black. Unexpectedly, we are offended. Quite suddenly, we are agitated with others, impatient with everyone from family members, to fellow drivers, to slow Walmart checkers. We speak self-incrimination when we fall short of a goal. Or we fasten our eyes in judgement on other believers who fail to meet our expectations. Sometimes, we're even blindsided by an old temptation. Thoughts and emotions we didn't expect swirl and spin until they land in full view, usually as behaviors displayed for others to see. We're embarrassed and disappointed in ourselves.
It's in those moments when our eyes are on the fluttering debris that the inner attack comes. "I thought I'd overcome this. I thought this area of my life was fixed. I thought I'd never be bothered with that again." Then questions like, "Haven't I been healed?" turn into "Have I REALLY been changed? How could I have a new heart?"
In this moment, it's time to refocus, to stop and feel the Breeze. Fear not. The Wind of God's Spirit still blows. Like the new AC unit, our new hearts are, indeed, FULL of power, and that Power is rendering POWERLESS the residual remnants of sin's damage in our lives. Damage that left unseen would grow into moldy decay with potential to overtake and destroy us. But the new heart is at work, pushing Spirit Air through every part of our being--changing thought patterns, healing wounds, obliterating bitterness and offense. Because the Wind blows, evidence of what's been inside is exposed. Suddenly we see sins we harbored within, sins we ignored, sins we were comfortable with, sins never considered a problem before, and the shock of their appearance gets our attention, reminding us that we still need the Wind. Surrendering to the Wind, we permit the Power within our new heart to take ownership of every place the enemy has corrupted. Just as the continual blowing of the air pushes through our duct work to deal with blight we do not see, as the Spirit does an inner work, the evidence of that change will result fewer and fewer blow-outs. So let the Spirit Air flow "being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1:6)
Tip/Tidbit: Have you botched it big time? Turn your eyes to the Forgiver, Cleanser, and Refresher. Let Him strengthen you to make right anything you've done to wrong someone else. Ask Him to bring to your attention any sin that you need to deal with so that you do not fail in that area. In this way, the internal issues can be dealt with without a blow-up or a blow-out.