Beneath the bed

It was time for the boys to tidy their bedrooms. And surprisingly quickly, my 6 year olds’ room was transformed into a tidy oasis. Everything off the floor, bed made. I was very happy. That is until closer inspection I realised that the toys on the floor had been conveniently shoved under the bed. Dirty laundry was hidden down beside his chest of drawers. The 5 extra steps needed to reach the laundry hamper, apparently 5 steps too many.

Like mother, like son. (It has been said!) I was rather messy as a child too and was known to also use the space beneath my bed as “storage”. My son was well and truly busted (just as I had been as a child!) His room looked tidy on the surface but beneath it was a different story.

We can be the same. We can look picture perfect to those around us. We can look like we have our lives in complete control. But beneath the surface we can have feelings of inadequacy, guilt or shame and condemnation. We can be battling insecurity, fear, doubt. As much as my son’s room needed a bit of a spring clean, our internal worlds need the same regular attention. The more that we sort out our internal reality, the more that God can move in our lives and we are transformed into the likeness of Christ.

I helped my son tidy up what was under his bed, moved his bed to make it easier (yes there was that much stuff!) and vacuumed his room. When we decide to give our souls a little spring clean, God is there with us. There to heal our pain, there with grace, healing, hope and strength.

Spring cleaning can seem a bit of faff (my boys certainly thought so), but they loved their tidied rooms and rediscovering some favourite toys that were lost beneath the bed…