“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
I’ve been experiencing an extreme this peace this year – the kind the Bible describes as the peace of God, which transcends all understanding and guards your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This has been huge, because I’m constantly in the same situations with the same people that usually have the same unfavorable outcome. It’s one of those spiritual warfare battles that rages on despite our peacemaking efforts and relentless prayers for them and our children.
But this year, there’s been a major shift in me. As I’ve continued to have regular communication and from the outside appearance, nothing seems to have changed, I know God has been at work. As I’ve engaged with these people, I’ve been completely overwhelmed with peace, calm, and divine reassurance. There’s been no fear or alarming instincts and even feelings of dread have lifted.
So, I was asking the Lord about all of this the other day and thanking Him for shedding this burden from my life. As I was explaining to Him how different things are now and asking what changed, He showed me a picture of my heart. It looked like one of those storage units that has the big retractable door that you heave up to get inside. He told me to open it. As I flung it open and peered inside, I saw that it was empty. He smiled and said it’s because I’ve finally stored all my treasure in Heaven and there's nothing anyone can take from me again. Immediately I knew that was the truth fueling the peace.
For so long, I’ve had to check myself after every time I’ve had these unpleasant interactions, because there was some sort of theft … a robbery of my time, sanity, money, children, etc. I always knew that something was taken and I wouldn’t get it back. And it was a grueling process of searching for the vacancy and once discovered, releasing it back to the Lord in forgiveness and mercy. Though He healed those open wounds countless times, I still approached them trying to cover every angle, even though I was painfully aware that I’m not omniscient.
But this year, I’m no longer tied to that bondage anymore! Like the Lord revealed, there is nothing anyone could take from me and what an outpouring of intense joy that is from the depths of my soul! And also the greatest desire of regret welling within me that I didn’t clear out the storage much sooner.
It might be time we take a look inside the storage of our hearts again and set our minds to clearing out what doesn’t belong there anymore. With the tender assistance of the Holy Spirit, may we find that nothing on earth satisfies us like the presence of Jesus, who in an instant can remove every unwanted thing taking up space in our hearts. But we must give Him permission and stand back and let Him do the cleansing work only He can do. And when we hold His hand and behold the empty space together, we’ll hear the footsteps of the captives running free and the song of Heaven over what is now preserved in the room He has prepared for us in eternity.