You know how you clean your house top to bottom, carefully and methodically searching every nook and cranny for dust and dirt? You dust, you scrub, you spray copious amounts of disinfectants, Pledge, toilet, and bathroom cleaners. You vacuum and sweep every inch until your home looks and smells pristine. But the minute you put the vacuum away and sit to enjoy the fruits of your labor, you see it, a tiny speck of dust staring back at you in full defiance, and as you turn your head, you see another and another—and you realize dirt cannot be tamed.

Today, as I cleaned, I realized the full meaning of this scripture: “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” Nothing means NOTHING. You see, no matter how well I clean my house, I will NEVER be able to remove all the dirt. Why? Because I can’t. It’s the same with our lives with God. No matter how hard we try (in our own strength), we will never be able to clean our own dirt. Again, because we can’t.

But here’s the truth, friend, God can. ONLY GOD CAN. Here’s an even better truth: God wants to. So, stop trying to clean up your filth, give God the duster, and let Him get to work.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whosoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

So what am I thankful for today? Lessons from dusting.