Today the Director, Kathy, and I spent a fair amount of time cleaning out a utility closet. It was a disheveled mess, unorganized, and filled with old, outdated materials that had long surpassed their usefulness. As we unpacked and sorted through everything, we finally began to make headway. What seemed like an insurmountable task, soon became a sense of accomplishment, which empowered us to press on. Soon we had a well-organized and useful space again.
Looking back, I can see the parallels of not only my own life, but of the lives of the families we counsel here at the Samaritan Inn. Often, we are carrying so much baggage from our past that we find it impossible to move forward. The enormity of the project and the confusion of where to start discourages us from tackling the project.
In John 11:44, the dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave cloths and let him go.”
I’ll tell you, I’m glad I didn’t have to do it alone! That’s an important first part of the process, having someone to work with you, freeing you from all the ties that bind you to all the clutter of our spiritual and emotional lives. Someone that can help you sort through all the things that you’ve held onto. Sometimes it’s someone that you trust enough to respect their judgment when they tell you to let go of something you still want to hold onto. And yes, it’s also someone you can celebrate the small victories with and will walk with you through the hard task of putting your life back together.