Last night I was changing the strings on my guitar, something I try to do regularly.
The old strings look and sound OK. But when I take them off and coil them up I can see how dark they have become. Then when I compare them to the new strings there is a visible difference. The new are shiny and bright.
Once the strings are on, I stretch them a little and then play. I'm always amazed at the brightness of the new strings. The guitar seems to have new life.
Over time, these new strings will begin to darken, both in color and sound. It's gradual, you really don't notice the change until you compare them, once again, to new ones.
I thought about how it's important to take inventory of our lives. To see if there is anything in our walk with the Lord that simply needs to be refreshed, like those strings.
Day by day we can miss a devotional time, or skip a service, our lives get caught up in busyness and soon we become dull. It happens gradually, and it's not until we compare it to the brightness of the joy we once knew that we notice the difference.
That's why it's a good idea to pray the prayer David once did as a regular part of our time with the Lord.
"Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalm 139:23:-24 (NIV)
That way, we can always remain bright and fresh and ready to shine for his glory.
