The Paper Shredder

Not long ago, in our community’s FB group, a neighbor sent out a plea for help. She needed a paper shredder to rid herself of all those old financial records, letters, and documents. She was done with the build-up of paper overload. In a matter of minutes, neighbors were quick to provide her with theirs.

Truthfully, I need that paper shredder, too. But more than the paper shredder, I need to get a grip on the running account of all the words and actions that ramble on in my mind that are of little worth.

Whether there are words that hurt me intentionally or not, I am done with holding onto that list of things that are unproductive and unworthy of my thoughts. I need a thought shredder to tear up the list of how I might have been wronged.

My daughter, in her inner healing ministry, often asks people to privately write down the names and offenses they felt they had been holding onto so tightly. Then, she invites them to “party” with her. It is a “shred” aka “burn” party that frees them of their past.

Maybe there is a shredder or a firepit close by and after prayer and the willingness to surrender their hurts to God, one-by-one those in attendance release the records of wrongs they thought were owed to them.

It turns out they feel the life-giving freedom that forgiveness brings. Oh the perfect peace that comes when they/we let go of the past.

Oh the power of a paper shredder, a fire pit, a trash can or whatever is needed to let it all go! And, even more so, the power of forgiveness. Love keeps no records of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Let’s have one of those “rid-ourselves-of-funk-and-junk” parties today!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)