Scrub Brush Theology

This post is going to be a little more off the cuff than normal, but here we go…

I was at work today and I noticed that the handrails were filthy.  I was so grossed out that I decided to clean them.  The only tool that I could find was an equally filthy scrub brush that had all sorts of adhesive stuck to its bristles.  I was thinking, “what good could this do?  I might as well find another one.”  But I stuck with this one.

As I was scrubbing the handrails, I noticed something odd.  The adhesive on the bristles were falling off, and by the time I was done I had a clean scrub brush!  Then I had an epiphany.

Often times, we think that we are the scrub brush.  Since we are covered in black gunk that other people leave on us, we feel that we shouldn’t be used for our intended purpose.  I found this in my life at times, and I have heard a lot of people use these phrases:

I would get back into the ministry, but I am still healing.

I would like to have a relationship someday, but I am still hurt.

I would like to pursue my dreams, but I am not in a good place right now.

To that, I answer:

As I begin to serve others in ministry, I find healing through caring for others and others caring for me as well.  It was frustrating for me to not get my career in church ministry or in the Navy Chaplain Corps, but once I engaged in my new vocational field, life sort of came together for me and made sense and I was able to let go of the frustration from the past.  But I had to put myself out there to get the gunk off.

If I focus on the gunk left on me due to drama from past relationships/interests, I will never accept the joy of a healthy relationship.  Even though I have dealt with dramatic and abusive women in the past, that is the past and I can't let it dictate or hinder my current relationship.  As time goes on I have found that the gunk that has built up over the years begins to disappear and healing is found in a reciprocating relationship.

God believes in you and he gave you dreams for a reason, it is never too early and rarely ever too late to pursue those dreams.  God has a funny way of bringing things into place as we pursue his will.  I have definitely seen the hand of God a few times when the impossible became possible.  That’s why when I find myself in his will, I find that fear, past failures, criticism, and other destructive thoughts that gunk up on me fade away as I am pursuing his will.  As for perfect timing, the only timing that is perfect is God's timing!

The thing is that as we pursue our intended purpose, we are like that brush that is scrubbing on the rail.  It is doing what it was made to do, and in doing so, it is freed of the burdens that are attaching itself to it.  As someone who has been going through that cleansing process, I can say that it is a great feeling and I hope that you all can experience it!