Sort it Out

My daughter Olivia is an amazing baker.  
She gets the chemistry and exactness that baking requires.
 She is the one who corrected my flour-measuring.  Apparently, just dipping my measuring cup directly into the flour is not the way.
"Mom, what are you doing?  You can't do it that way."
With forty-plus years of shock and surprise, I asked how I am supposed to do it.  "You have to use a spoon to dip it out so that you don't pack it in too densely and get too much flour." I stood corrected, and my cookies have been better for it.
 
She also taught me that sifting flour is the preferred method because it breaks up lumps and gives a more accurate measurement. Sifted flour is lighter and airier and mixes better when making batters and doughs.

Back in the day, sifting was very important because it could separate the flour from pieces of husk, seeds, and other debris, including bugs!  

This got me thinking.

Sifting flour is important because it helps get the bad stuff out of the flour, makes it lighter, and makes it more usable.  How often do I sift my life?

As I sift my motives through the truth and wisdom of God's Word,  consider verses like: 

Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away lying, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Last but not least:

Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

I have to ask myself: does comparing my life to the Word of God leave a lot of junk in my sifter?  

I have been walking with Jesus not perfectly, but most of the time more faithfully than before over the last 7 years.  What I have to sift for looks like pride, jealousy, list-checking, and not taking every thought captive to Christ. 

I constantly check my heart for my motives, even when doing what is considered a spiritually healthy practice, like reading the Bible, praying, and serving.  I can quickly get into a checklist mentality.  For example, when I am reading my Bible each day, is my heart ready and anxious for receiving what God's word has to say?  Or do I read to read what's assigned for today?  I have to search and know MY heart before I can open the Bible, because God knows my heart.  There is nothing I can hide from Him.  

Here are some questions to ask:

Am I trusting God? 

Does my life say I believe in the faithfulness of God? 

Am I confident that God will answer my prayer?

Are my motives centered around my own wants and selfish desires?  

Am I trusting God to meet all my needs and to lead me in faith to the next step?

Does my life flow through these questions (and more like it)? Do I become the stuff that God can use to glorify his name and draw people to Him?

It's a good soul check to "sift your motives" as often as you are led by the Holy Spirit.   Get all the bugs out, the random stuff, anything that does not glorify God.  Annnnnnd guess what?  It's not a one-and-done.  Every soul has to constantly examine his or her life.  It may get a little easier, or you might know how to pinpoint your life more, but until we're in Heaven in perfect bodies, it's going to be a regular exercise.  

Let's pray:

Jesus, you are so holy, and I never get tired of telling you you're worthy and good and faithful.  Thank you for your Word, so we can know more about you and what your character is like.  Your Word helps us see our hearts, recognize your goodness, and put our motives under the microscope.  Would you draw us to your Word and cause us to be transparent with ourselves, breaking down Sunday faces and to-do lists so we can know the nakedness of soul in prayer?  Sift our lives through the truth of your Word.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Reflection questions:

1. Use the above verses, or others that are closer to your heart, and sift your day through them.  Journal the verses you used, and write down thoughts you had about sifting your motives through them.

2. Bake something that requires you to sift flour.  Plan to get together with a friend, take the finished product, and share your journaling.  Invite her/him to give input about your sifting, and let her consider what she would consider. 

3. C.S. Lewis coined the phrase "know the nakedness of soul in prayer." What would it take for you to be soul-naked in prayer?