Mostly His, this week! Projects—His and Mine! Mostly his, this week! My projects this winter have not changed in months, and neither are they able to be considered finished. The trouble is, often my projects overflow into his projects. That’s because some of my projects need his opinion on what to do. And then there are the projects that I consider strictly his! He doesn’t want my help! Of course, in my opinion, he needs my help! We both have projects that aren’t so fun and so then we practice the art of procrastination! We are pretty good at this art! We have learned how to do it well! But the day does come when procrastination can’t be used any longer and the not so fun project just has to get done. Ugh!
This past week getting the procrastinated project done had to happen. For many years, we have had a car that was no longer being used. Procrastination allowed it to just sit, and had to be mowed around every summer. This car was a gift and at one time was a pseudo luxury car. And my husband kind of had a love/hate relationship with it. He liked the idea behind the gift, but it wasn’t his style. He liked the plush interior but it needed some cleaning and fixing. He liked the way it was comfortable to sit in, but he didn’t like how hard it was to get in. Then came the day when he had to get a different job and no longer drove this car as he had in the past. And so the car became unused, week after week and then month after month and finally year after year. He postponed doing anything about it, though the thought of restoring it as an antique was interesting to him. It just wasn’t interesting enough to actually do the restoring.
Recently, he committed to having the car sent to the place where old cars go to die—to be recycled, That meant he needed to see what had been left in the car. The things that he found and couldn’t even remember why they were in the car were many! A large trash bag of pop cans to redeem, 3 very nice ice scrapers, hammer and wrench and other tools, an afghan, a foam ice chest cooler, a paper towel dispenser, a stack of sharing books, a business briefcase, a glove box full of padding pulled out of the car seats, papers that seemed to have been important for the years of 2007 through 2010, some with plans for the coming year, and “signs” of mouse everywhere! No wonder we procrastinated but each year of procrastination just made the problem worse and even more worse! There were reasons for giving up using the car—not as convenient, health concerns caused less use, job change, winter weather disuse, dead battery not replaced……
The car is ready for the junk man!!!!!!!
The process of cleaning out an old car to be junked offers a powerful symbolism for spiritual cleansing and letting go of the past. Just as the car was filled with trash, old receipts and papers, and other forgotten items, and it could not be properly processed for a new purpose until it was emptied, our own lives often require a “cleaning out” to make room for God’s new, intended blessings for me. We all have “Junk in Our Trunks!”
Our old car in the yard had served him well, but its time had come. It was rusty, the engine was seized and not running, and it was past time for it to be removed to make things look better. But before the metal scrap truck can take it away, it had to be cleaned out. Under the seats, in the glove box, and in the trunk, he found junk—cans and bottles, old papers, trash that had accumulated over years of driving—or of not driving.
This car is like a picture of our hearts and lives. We sometimes hold onto old, broken, and useless habits, sins, or pains—emotional “junk in our trunks”—that keep us from moving forward. We try to drive into a new season of life while still hauling around the trash of the old. Just as the junkyard requires the car to be nearly empty, God often asks us to “clean out” our lives—to repent, let go of unforgiveness, or release past mistakes—so we can be fully “restored” or “renewed” Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17.
The car may be worthless to us, but a mechanic might see potential—though not in this case. God sees our brokenness not as a finality, but as an opportunity for His grace to make us “new creatures”, give us a second chance. Holding onto past burdens of hurts or grudges only weighs us down, much like unnecessary trash lowers a car’s fuel efficiency. Letting go makes room for peace, joy, and hope. Lord, I confess that I have been clinging to some old things—past hurts, bad habits, and some fears—that are cluttering my life. I want to take the time to “clean out” my heart. I lay these burdens down at the foot of the cross. I trust You to remove the junk, and I ask that You make me new, ready for the new things You are doing.
I found this possible “Clean Out” Checklist.
First, identify the Trash: What is one habit or negative thought pattern I need to stop driving around with?
Then, surrender it: In prayer, I can turn that specific “piece of junk” over to God.
And finally, it’s time to refill: Fill that space with Scripture, prayer, or positive service to others.
Cleaning junk out of a junk car is the perfect time for a spiritual inventory. Just because the “vehicle” (such as an old season, habit, or situation) is headed for the scrap heap doesn’t mean you leave your valuables behind. We all need a Spiritual “Clean Out”.
In life, we tuck away “change” and “treasures” in crevices and places we forget. Before I can let go of a difficult life chapter, I must ask God to help me find the lessons and growth hidden away in the upholstery of that experience. Not everything in the car is junk. I must distinguish between the trash (like bitterness, regret, or dead weight) and my own identity, which belongs to me, not the car. It is much easier to watch the truck with the loaded junk car pull away when you aren’t worried that something precious is still inside. Forgiveness is the act of emptying the trunk so you can walk away unburdened with a lighter load.
As we clear out the literal glove box and the mouse nest, we can pray: “Lord, help me leave the junk behind, but let me keep every ounce of wisdom I gained while driving this road.” A fitting verse for this is Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT): “…forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Just as we retrieved what is useful from the old car before letting the rest go, this scripture encourages us to release the weight of what is behind, so our hands are free to grab what God has for you next.
Cleaning out an old car for the junkyard is more than just a chore; it is a important symbol for letting go of the past and preparing for newness in our spiritual lives. Like a car that has served its purpose but now holds only trash and rust, our lives can become weighed down by emotional baggage, old habits, and past mistakes.
That “Junk in the Trunk” is junk we all have—We often cling to things that no longer serve us, just as we might keep broken items in a car that can no longer drive. These items can represent anger, shame, unforgiveness, or habits that we need to release. The Bible encourages us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). Cleaning out the car is a physical act of obedience to that spiritual principle. We cannot take the old unused car to the crusher with personal belongings still inside. Similarly, I cannot fully embrace the new life God has for me while holding onto the old one. The purpose and process of cleaning reminds me that: The Past is Behind me. Just as the old car is headed for the junk heap, my Bible says the “old self” has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). Clearing out the trash makes space, room for “new wine,” representing God’s fresh grace and blessings (Luke 5:38).
Just as we can empty the glove box and pull out the floor mats, we can consider what “trash” we need to give over to God. It might be that we have been operating in our own strength rather than depending on God. The goal is not to fix the old car, but to let it go so we can receive the new life that is already yours in Christ: and once again, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Isaiah 43:19: “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Hebrews 12:1: “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…” Dear God, thank You for the seasons of life that car represented, but I am ready to let it go. Help me to clean out the junk—like the worry, the sin, the old habits—that I have been carrying. I want to release the past and trust You for the new, making room for the blessings You have prepared.
Cleaning out a junker car is a lot like spiritual inventory; you have to face the clutter before you can reach the end. Just as you might find a lost button or a spare ten-dollar bill under the seat of a car destined for the scrap heap, God often finds hidden worth in the parts of our lives we’ve already written off. You can’t tow a car filled with lead; you can’t move into a new different time of life while lugging around the emotional baggage of the old one. Even though the car is “done and at the end of its life,” cleaning it out honors the miles it gave you. It’s an act of gratitude for the journey you and the car were on, even as you prepare for its departure. Of course, life is constantly changing, and things will continue to pile up in your car. The key is making daily maintenance a habit. Every time you exit your vehicle, do a quick scan for trash or recycling you can take with you. When you park at the end of a busy day, grab anything strewn on the seats and take a few minutes to put things back where they belong. And if you have kids? Tell them your car is not a storage vessel or a dumpster—they don’t get to leave until they’ve removed their snacks, trash, and sports gear.
This experience of cleaning out of our messy, “not very good” car serves as a powerful reminder for spiritual renewal, reminding that God is interested in restoring the “insides” of our lives, not just the appearance. Just as a car accumulates trash, dirt, and neglect over time, our lives can become cluttered with the grime of sin, worry, and distractions.
It’s easy to let a “Not Very Good” car go. A water bottle here, a fast-food wrapper there, some dirt on the floor mats—eventually, the inside of the car is a mess, even if it looks okay from the outside. That car, though maybe not in great shape, might still have value, but its functionality and comfort are diminished by the clutter. Often, our lives are the same. We may present a polished, “good” exterior to the world, but on the inside, we are cluttered with baggage. The “dirt” of life—unconfessed sins, past mistakes, anxiety, and unhealed wounds—slows us down and ruins the ride.
We can try to sweep out the car ourselves, but sometimes it requires a “full detailing” that we cannot perform on our own. We need to take it to the Creator of details—the ultimate mechanic. Just as you put a car in neutral at a car wash, you must stop trying to manage your own “mess” and surrender control to God. The cleaning happens at someone else’s expense—Jesus Christ. His sacrifice provides me with the cleansing, allowing me to be “washed… whiter than snow”. True restoration isn’t just a quick exterior wash. God wants to clean the inside and hidden, dirty spots that others don’t see, both inside and outside places.
When you take that “not very good” car in and get it cleaned and detailed, you are reminded that old things are passed away and all things become new. The goal is not to stay “dirty” and comfortable in our dirty mess, but to allow God to transform us. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Dear God, thank you that You are the ultimate Restorer. My life feels like a cluttered very messy car. I bring the mess to You—my fears, my sins, and my frustrations. Clean me from the inside out and restore the joy of my salvation.
I want to be cleaned up, free from all the trash that has accumulated!