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I'd killed another dryer.

I've worn out many clothes dryers, what with the never-ceasing necessity of clean clothes for my family. So, we bought a new one. But my interests and the necessities in our home are not limited to the laundry. I typically don't make it to fling open the door when the buzzer goes off. The clothes often sit neglected until I come around—cooling off into a crumpled pile laden with wrinkles. Now, the articles that really matter must be ironed—adding another step to my otherwise accomplished duty.

Much to my delight, I discovered my new dryer had a function called "wrinkle guard." A built-in grace period activated the dryer every few minutes and tumbled the clothes until I could make it there and take them out. The result was fresh, soft articles ready to be worn—and without a wrinkle, despite my lingering.

Hebrews addressed this danger of lingering. Even then, the writer understood how easy it was to fall asleep spiritually . . . to take for granted you were doing the right thing and nothing more was required. Other interests and daily responsibilities could draw Christians away from keeping their souls healthy. The solution was to "stir up one another." This is our spiritual wrinkle guard.  

Often, my spiritual life feels like that heap of set-in, stiff, dormant garments. An unforeseen predicament or a monotonous routine results in ugly wrinkles that tarnish my Christian walk. Even though I have good intentions, I fall into a spiritual desert due to things such as neglecting prayer and being unmindful of the Holy Spirit.  

As Christians, we want to be useful, vibrant, and at our best. We want Jesus’ love to manifest itself through service that glorifies God. But the constant refreshment our soul needs for this to happen won't come if we sit stagnant, which leads us to become even stiffer.

Activate your wrinkle guard by finding other Christians you can befriend and talk to regularly. Pray for and check on each other. Encourage one another. Join a Bible study or start one. Doing so will propel you to fulfill your individual purpose as Christ’s follower.

Present yourself at your best through Christ. 

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

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