A Rock in My Shoe

Galatians 5: 16
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

      While on my morning walk, I noticed something uncomfortable in my right shoe. It wasn’t enough to alter my pace so I just ignored it and kept walking. When I got home I noticed it again, but didn’t stop to do anything about it because there were dishes to wash and a letter to write before the mailman came.


      Whatever it was, it began rolling around by my toes, until I wasn't able to ignore it any longer. I stopped what I was doing and took off my shoe…out rolled a tiny pebble. Tossing it into the trash can, I couldn’t help feeling silly for walking all morning with a rock in my shoe – knowing it was there!

      I was reminded of other things tolerated in my life, things that don’t belong there and sometimes cause pain or discomfort. Little sins like irritability or impatience that so quietly creep into my heart. They aren’t hidden, I can feel them there. They keep rolling around in my attitude until enough discomfort is created that I dump them out to God.

      How much wiser it would have been if I had stopped and removed the pebble this morning the moment it was first noticed. And how much less heart ache would be caused for each of us and the people along our paths if we stopped and emptied out our hearts of those wrong attitudes the moment the Holy Spirit brought them to our attention?



      Father, forgive me for tolerating things I should be removing from my life. Those little pebbles can be worse than big boulders because I tend to ignore them. To you they are all the same – sin! Thank you that at any time I can pour them out before you in prayer, and you lovingly forgive me. Thank you for the lesson you spoke into my life today through a rock in my shoe. Amen