Making a Mess

“Don’t allow me to make a mess of my life.” (Psalm 119:31 TPT)

My best friend in kindergarten was Eva Nelson. She was fun, spontaneous, and popular. I was the opposite. I was a careful planner. I aspired to be more like her and less like me. One day, all the kids in my class got their own watercolor set. The case came with a few basic colors and a small brush. I remember the teacher  giving us instructions as we all eagerly waited to get started. She told us to use just a little bit of water and to clean our brushes in between each color. I started off following directions--keeping everything clean and orderly. My paper had timid strokes of green grass but nothing else. I looked over at Eva and she was painting wildly. She looked like she was having fun and making more progress, so I decided to do what she was doing. I ignored the teacher’s directions. Soon all my colors got mixed up, and I had a muddy brown mess. 

Good choices lead to orderly lives. Most of us know right from wrong and have an inherent desire to do the right thing. We have sincere intentions, yet we are prone to making messes. Illusions of progress and delusions of control mar our judgment. We disregard our moral compass and succumb to the pressures of expediency and popularity. This path eventually leads to muddy ruts. Truth can be uncomfortable in the short term, but it leads to integrity in the long run. When we pursue only that which is true, our soul is drenched with lucidity. We turn our attention from distractions and chaos--choosing to walk through pathways of peace. 

“Help me turn my eyes away from illusions so that I pursue only that which is true; drench my soul with life as I walk in your paths.” (Psalm 119:37 TPT)