If you drive an older car, you’ve probably noticed that sometimes it just doesn’t run as smoothly as it used to.
My car is getting to that age. Every once in a while it will sputter a little, and I know some buildup has probably started collecting in the engine. So I’ll pour an engine cleaner into the gas tank to help clean out some of that gunk.
That got me thinking about how much my heart can be like that.
Over time, things can build up there too. Old wounds. Bitterness. Fear. Lies I’ve started believing. Disappointment I never really dealt with. And if I let those things sit long enough, they can start affecting the way I love people, the way I think, and the way I live.
The hard part is that I can’t always clean that out on my own. Sometimes I need to recognize that something is off and bring it back to Jesus.
Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
I love that prayer because David knew he needed God to do something in him that he could not do for himself.
I think I need that reminder too. When I notice my heart getting harder, more negative, more impatient, or just not where it should be, that is probably a good sign that I need more time with Jesus.
Just like an engine needs some help when buildup starts to slow it down, my heart needs God to keep cleaning out the things that do not belong there.