Wash. Rinse. Repeat: What Is Keeping You?

Dirty clothes never get clean sitting beside the washing machine, and neither does a heart that refuses to remain in God's presence.

One of the beautiful works of the Holy Spirit is that He doesn't simply forgive us; He transforms us. As we remain in God's wash cycle, something remarkable begins to happen. The sins that once mastered us begin to lose their grip. The temptations that once controlled us become easier to resist, and we become defined by God’s word.

Growth becomes evident, not because we have become perfect people, but because we serve a perfect Savior. As that growth begins to take root, repentance is no longer just something we say—it becomes something we live. Repentance should never become a revolving door where we continuously return to the exact same place without any evidence of transformation. God's grace was never intended to give us permission to remain unchanged. His grace empowers us to become more like Christ, and the residue of spending time with Jesus should linger on us.

Just as freshly washed clothes carry the fragrance of the detergent that cleansed them, believers should carry the unmistakable fragrance of Christ everywhere they go. People should encounter our patience, our humility, our mercy, our compassion, our integrity, and our love. No, we will never be perfect. But we serve a perfect God who is faithful to keep us as long as we desire to be kept.

God is faithful to keep us as long as we desire to be kept. That leaves each of us with an important question: What, or who, is keeping you? 

Every day, let's determine to press deeper into the presence of the Lord, whatever that looks like in this season of life. Some days that may mean lingering longer in prayer. Other days it may mean quietly meditating on Scripture while life feels overwhelming. It may mean worshiping through tears, choosing obedience when it's difficult, or simply refusing to let go of God's hand.

It may mean worshiping through tears, choosing obedience when it's difficult, or simply refusing to let go of God's hand. That determination to hold fast reminds me of the final words my father, Kens Sims, entrusted to me before going home to be with his Savior. He left me with a charge that has never left my heart: "Finish your race." Those words carry even greater urgency today. Now, more than ever, we are watching people walk away from their relationship with Christ. The pull of the world has become stronger, and spiritual compromise is often celebrated rather than confronted.

I urge you to find whatever fuels your pursuit of Jesus and continually feed your hunger for Him. We must guard our first love because He is worth every sacrifice, every surrender, and He is definitely worth the wait. One day, Jesus is coming back for His Bride, and heaven is not an event you'd want to miss. So whatever we do, we must not become sellouts to the culture. We must become sold out for Christ: completely surrendered, wholly devoted, unwavering in our faith, and steadfast until the very end.

And when tomorrow comes, we must remember to...

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Written By: Kamilia Watson