Sometimes, our attics need cleaning. If someone has lived in their home for 20 or 30 years, a lot of stuff can accumulate. In fact, most of the time it is far more material than one might think! Because of the accumulation, every once in a while it becomes necessary to clean out the attic. Any time is a good time for introspection. It may be that your attic needs cleaning.

It may be that we need to clean the attic with respect to God. It may be that we have not been as faithful to Him as we should be. It might take several forms, but the end result is the same. As all of us are stewards of the mysteries of God, it is required that stewards be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). If this is in any way lacking, let's change that for the new year.

It may be that we need to clean the attic with respect to ourselves. It may be that we need to remove a whole lot of impure thoughts and concentrate on what is good (Philippians 4:8). What the mind thinks on will ultimately produce what the body acts on. So to preserve our purity before God, we have to make sure that we do our very best to suppress our ungodly or impure thoughts.

It may be that we need to clean the attic with respect to others. If we harbor a grudge or bitterness toward our brethren, we make forgiveness between ourselves and God impossible (Matthew 6:14-15). If you want God's forgiveness, you had better forgive your brother. Why allow some perceived wrong to stew and fester in your mind? In the end, it only hurts you.

Take today and examine and test yourself (2 Corinthians 13:5). If something needs to be made right with God, then go to Him in prayer. If you need to change your life, then do so. If you need to correct something with your brother, then go to him. Life is too short and the stakes too high for us to not be right with God.

- The Gospel Teacher, 2/23/14