Hidden Cobwebs
Cleaning the chapels here in Wales is no easy feat. Honestly, it's downright frustrating at times! These old buildings seem to be home to a multitude of spiders that spin their webs day after day, resulting in a scene that resembles something from a scary movie, with elaborate cobwebs stretched across every surface. Every. Single. Surface.
The trickiest part about cleaning is that you can only see the webs when the light hits them just right. And since we have so little sunlight in Wales (let me tell you, the sun is a rare and precious commodity here), you can think you've gotten them all, only to have a ray of sunshine stream through the window and illuminate an elaborate web in the very area you just cleaned. I was literally standing there with my duster, feeling quite proud of myself, when suddenly the sun decided to make an appearance and reveal my failure. There, right where I'd just cleaned, was a massive cobweb I'd completely missed.
At first, I was aggravated. Okay, more than aggravated. I was downright frustrated! How many times was I going to have to clean the same spot? But then the Lord gently whispered to my heart, and I realized this was a picture of something much deeper.
Our lives can be the same way, can't they? We think we're clean. We think we've maintained pure thoughts and honest hearts. We think we've dealt with that sin issue or that bad attitude. But when the Light of the Lord shines into the dark places of our hearts, we often discover areas that aren't nearly as clean as we supposed.
David understood this principle well. In Psalm 139:23-24, he prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." David knew that he couldn't always see his own sin. He needed God's Light to reveal the hidden cobwebs in his life.
The tricky thing about hidden sin is that it doesn't just sit there harmlessly. Those cobwebs in the chapel? They collect dust. They harbor insects. They make the place look neglected. Similarly, unconfessed and undealt-with sin in our lives collects spiritual grime. It provides a breeding ground for more sin. It makes our testimony look neglected and unkempt.
But here's the good news: when the Lord's Light reveals those hidden cobwebs, He doesn't just point them out and leave us to deal with them on our own. No! 1 John 1:9 promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He not only shows us the problem, but He also provides the solution.
So, what do we do when God's Light reveals a cobweb in our hearts? First, we thank Him for showing us. Yes, thank Him! It's far better to see it and deal with it than to leave it lurking in the darkness. Second, we confess it. Call it what it is: sin. Don't make excuses or try to justify it. Third, we accept His cleansing. Let Him wash away that sin and make you clean.
And here's something else I learned from my chapel cleaning adventures: those cobwebs will keep coming back if I don't let the light in regularly. I need to open those curtains and let the sunshine expose any new webs before they become elaborate masterpieces. In the same way, we need to regularly invite God's Light into our hearts. We can't just do a spiritual cleaning once and call it good. We need daily time in God's Word, letting His Light reveal anything that doesn't belong.
Today, I challenge you to pray David's prayer. Ask God to search your heart. Let His Light shine into every corner. And when He reveals those hidden cobwebs, thank Him for caring enough to show you, then let Him clean you up. After all, it's only in His Light that we can truly see.