By Andrea Merrell

For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45 NKJV

I’m not fond of cleaning the toilet, scrubbing a dirty oven, or washing a car. It’s hard work. But I’ve found a chore that’s even more difficult: cleaning out my heart.

Sometimes, at the most inopportune moment, my heart will betray me. Just when I think it’s all good, words will shoot out of my mouth and leave me wondering where in the world did that come from?

It’s simple really. The Bible gives the answer I don’t want to hear: it came from the abundance of what’s in my heart. The Passion Translation calls it "the overflow." For the overflow of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words.

That’s when I know it’s time for a heart cleanse.

It’s easy to ignore those snarky little thoughts that creep into our mind. Those wrong attitudes that take up residence where they don’t belong. They move through our mind and wiggle down into our heart. They can be so well hidden we don’t even realize they’re there—until we open our mouth.

Whenever this happens, my prayer goes something like this: Lord, if my mouth speaks from the abundance of what’s in my heart, please take out all the junk that’s hiding there. Forgive me. Cleanse me. Renew a right spirit and a right attitude in me. I want my heart to be filled with your love, your peace, and your joy. Help me to see people and situations through your eyes and to be moved with compassion and not criticism. Let my words be salt and light to others but more than anything, pleasing to you.

Ahhh … what a great feeling. Are you ready for a heart cleanse?