Natasha Robinson

Corinthians 5:17

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

It's Time to Close the Open Files and Reboot  

I am at work, using my colleague's computer because mine is on the fritz. As I begin to use the computer, a tab opens below at the bottom of the screen. The tab reads "Close Open Files" leading me to believe that the computer needs to reclaim unused space and reset itself. Anyone who is familiar with computers knows that the operating system sometimes will reset itself because it can determine that its efficiency is not at an optimal level. So sometimes, in the midst of working on a computer, the screen will tell you that an assessment has been done (without any prompting from you) and the hard drive needs to be restarted for the updates to take effect.  

In this situation, the computer is telling me that the "open files" are really phantom files, files which seem to contain pertinent information but that information is no longer needed or just taking up space for more relevant information. It is imperative that I honor this recommendation lest what I am working on gets lost and I have to start from scratch.  

I believe that this is also a message from God. He sends us different alerts telling us to close some open files in our lives (unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, self-hatred, laziness, relationships which are on "life-support, unwillingness to take care of our bodies and our finances, for example) because these files are taking up space in our lives and slowing our efficiency to live and be the best God created us to be. We are not operating at our optimal capacity and it is imperative that we recognize the warning signs and take heed to them. God has new data that He wants to download in our lives, but we need to delete what does not work to make way for what will work. We need to let God's Word assess us, provide us with the necessary updates, and then reboot so that He can get the best out of us and so that we can be a blessing to others.  

Prayer 

God, all things begin and end with you. Delete from our lives those things which are not pleasing to you. Create in us a clean heart and renew within us a right spirit so that we may serve You with a joyful attitude, one that is free from needless debris. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Thought for the day 

Newness in our lives begins with less mess in our "hard drives".