A dirty furnace-filter is like an unclean heart–>

— Both of them cause nasty noises and are harmful to our health! 😟

We had this problem for a couple of months.  Every time the heat turned on, it sounded like a freight train was coming through our house!  Ok, maybe not quite that loud, but similar in intensity.

So why didn’t we replace that particular filter sooner?

  1. We thought it was clean.
  2. We took too long to get around to checking it!
  3. We were sure that awful, grating, vibrating noise was due to some big, complicated, issue– too huge, difficult, and costly to fix.

–>So we put up with the “bad vibes” and all the disruption of peace it caused…

…Until we CHECKED the filter– and discovered how dirty it was! And REPLACED it with a new, clean, one!


…And– you guessed it– the house is quieter, we can live, work, and sleep in peace, and we’re glad 😃

This reminds me of a parallel question– why don’t we “replace”– i.e., let the Spirit “replace”, our heart-filter sooner? Same reasons:

  1. We think it’s clean.
  2. We don’t want to take the time and effort to check it.
  3. We’re sure those awful, grating, “noisy” relationship
    problems we’re having and lack of peace in our hearts is
    caused by something or someone too difficult to “fix”!

But, those problems can be dealt with and removed!  How?

  1. Recognize that we have heart problems due to the sinful, dirty, stuff that has accumulated and is clogging our arteries (and you thought the wrong cholesterol was bad!)

“The heart is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?”  Jer. 17:9

2. Therefore, regularly examine our hearts, no matter how good and clean they may seem to us.   

“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.”  Ps. 139:23-24

3. Call the “Heart Surgeon” to “replace the filter”.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.” Ps. 51:10

4. Do heart-health maintenance— stay away from an unhealthy, harmful “diet” of input (bad media, gossip, etc.).

“I will not look with approval
    on anything that is vile.”  Ps. 101:3

Don’t put up with “bad vibes” in your heart and relationships!

Let Phil. 4:8 become our thought-filter to strain out nasty thoughts that dirty our hearts and cause those awful noises of complaining, slander, temper outbursts, withdrawal, etc.!

“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Then we can enjoy a lot more peace and joy in our lives and relationships!