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Encouragement
Words to Encourage
Scrubbing the Inside!
God wants us to pay attention to the condition of our hearts, not just our outward appearance.
I sense the Lord asking me to share this word with you today. It is not a “feel-good” message. If you are willing to accept correction and learn, then I challenge you to read on. As my friend, Apostle Felix Joshua, says, “If you cannot receive correction, then you cannot grow.”
Jesus had some strong words for the Pharisees! Is it time for some inside scrubbing? Jesus strongly disapproved of the Pharisees for focusing heavily on outward appearances and ritual cleanliness while their hearts were full of greed and self-indulgence.
Matthew 23:26–27
“First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, so that the outside also may be clean. For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and uncleanness.”
Ouch! When I read this Scripture, I prayed, “Lord, clean me on the inside wherever I need to be cleansed. May I shine with love and joy from the inside out.”
Many years ago, I stopped by a dear friend’s house to visit. As she welcomed me into her lovely home, we walked into the kitchen. She was frustrated because one of her favorite cooking pots had been left on the stove too long, causing the candy she was making to scorch and stick to the bottom. She had been scrubbing it but didn't see any point in continuing.
I said, “Let me give it a try and work on it.” I gave it a good old-fashioned elbow-grease workout. After scrubbing for a while, I started to see hope for this badly scorched pot. It was an expensive pot and well worth saving. The good news is that the burnt residue finally started flaking off in large pieces, and the pot was restored to its former condition. With a little extra inside scrubbing, it looked brand new again. She and I rejoiced together with laughter!
As I reflect on that moment, I realize that while scrubbing the pot, my focus had to be entirely on the inside where the candy had burned. Thinking more deeply about it, that pot didn’t become scorched overnight—it took time for that buildup to happen. In the same way, the mess inside us didn’t happen overnight; it has been “cooking” for a while. Jesus’ message to the Pharisees was not to obsess over the outside, but to go within, do the work, and clean up what needs to be cleansed.
Three Ways to Clean Up the Inside:
- Embrace the hard inner work. Acknowledge what needs to be addressed rather than avoiding it.
- Create a “pause.” This practice will keep you from saying everything you think or feel. Test your words before speaking: Are they edifying, encouraging, or necessary? If not, pause and ask God to help you filter your speech.
- Practice emotional regulation. We see so much about this topic today, but true inner work requires moving away from numbing or distracting ourselves from uncomfortable feelings. Instead, we must learn to sit with these feelings, identify our emotions, and process them in healthy, God-honoring ways.
My prayer for you:
Lord, cleanse our hearts from the inside out. Remove anything that does not reflect You, and help us grow in love, wisdom, humility, and emotional maturity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Sharin Health is your home for whole-person wellness, grounded in faith. We believe that true health means nourishing both the body God gave us and the spirit He sustains. We provide practical, uplifting resources that bridge healthy cooking (with simple recipes and tips), stress-free living, and deepening your spiritual journey. Join us as we explore how to live a life of vibrant health, anchored by unshakable faith.