My deepest revelations usually come while doing the most mundane tasks. Washing the dishes. Cooking. Driving. I suspect that God uses moments when my brain is least active (crowded?) to enlighten me. This particular day was no exception. I was in my hometown, Louisville, Kentucky, in the guest bedroom/gym/storage space of my parent’s house, and preparing for a book signing.
After showering, I began ironing the all black outfit I was going to wear (because you can’t go wrong with all black, right?). Unfortunately, my packing skills suck big time and so the super fly, wide-legged pants I was going to wear looked more like a newborn with its million wrinkles.
As I waited for the iron to get hot, I grew anxious. Why? Because #1 – I hate to iron, #2 – I’m not very good at ironing, #3 – the pants looked like they needed a steam roller, not my mom’s simple, albeit quality, Black and Decker. But I didn’t give up on those hopeless looking pants.
I started by putting water in the iron because as a transplant to the northeast years ago, I learned that starch is apparently a southern thing. Who knew? Plus, I didn’t want to risk having that white flaky residue.
Next, I turned up the heat on the iron as high as it could possibly go without burning the fabric and began ironing. Lightly, at first. With more pressure, later. It was only after watching each wrinkle smooth out, one by one, that I heard the Voice whisper softly in my spirit.
“You are like those pants.”
Okay, I’m nuts because my first thought was, “They’re black. So am I?” (insert appropriate laughter here)
Then, I totally got it.
I am wrinkled. Flawed. Even sinful at times. In some areas of my life, the number of wrinkles I have make me seem hopeless. But I’m grateful that God doesn’t see me that way.
But those wrinkles still must be removed.
He starts with water. That’s His word. I’m super sensitive so His word acts as a barrier between me and what’s coming next. Like starch on my pants, there are certainly other things God could use. But He cares about the residue that these things might be left behind.
Then comes the heat. Not too much though. No more than the fabric of my life can bear. Just enough to remove the wrinkles and restore me to my original design.
Oh, wait…the pressure.
See, I’m stubborn sometimes. The heat alone is not always enough. I have some deep “wrinkles” for sure. Some are even ones I got because, just like haphazardly packing my outfit, I was careless or rebellious.
At face value, the water, heat, and pressure seem harsh on the fabric (and our lives). But this is exactly what we all need to straighten out our wrinkles and present ourselves well before God and humankind.
Sure, we can accomplish some things in life with a few wrinkles in tow (and I believe the grace of God allows for that). And I could have gone to the signing in wrinkled pants. But neither my signing nor our destinies are really about us. It’s about the people we impact. Wrinkles (whether on pants or in life) can be a distraction. They might even reflect poorly on the God we claim to represent.
Why would we ever want to risk that?
So the next time you are ironing and watching all these elements work wonders on your laundry, think about what it all means. With our clothes, it’s just science. In our lives, it’s a miracle.
Leave a Comment
Sarah S says
Dear Tracy, I love how you went from the mundane to recognizing a miracle. Its a beautiful way of living in the world. Keep it up.
May I disagree with your conclusion? I think God loves us wrinkles and all. I don’t think those wrinkles, stains, torn knees, or imperfections in the fabric of our lives reflect poorly on him at all. Instead, I think when we share the truth of them openly, it humbles us, and shows clearly his love, patience, kindness, mercy, and grace. Instead of seeing them as a distraction, I see them as evidence of Gods goodness.
We are like your pants. And God loves us just as we are. He loves us so much. He wants us to live that truth. Live just as we are…evidence of His great love.
Keep writing girl. Keep thinking. You’re doing great. Blessings.
Tracey Michae'l says
Thank you so much, Sarah! I appreciate your response. And I agree with you. I do think God loves us right where we are. And if we remain wrinkled or broken forever, he still loves us deeply and dearly. His grace is SO sufficient for us. I do also think though He uses the circumstances of our lives to “process” us. To teach us. To help us grow and be better. I hope I didn’t imply that our wrinkles reflect poorly on God. They most certainly don’t. They are just our stuff. The result of choices, personality, or the residue of sins against us. And it’s these things that, I believe, he allows to be “worked out” in our lives as I’ve written. That, for me, is a miracle.
Again, thank you again for commenting. Your words bless me.
Grace and peace,
Tracey
Tracey Michae'l says
Aha…okay. I see the line you are referencing: “They might even reflect poorly on the God we claim to represent.” Again, I definitely don’t mean our wrinkles reflect poorly on God and who He is to us generally. But I do think it’s possible that other people, particularly those who don’t believe, can perceive God in a negative way because of what they observe in us as believers.
Hope that clears things up. 🙂
Michele Genco says
Yep!! I agree with you Tracey but I also LOVE the way Sarah explained it. Very wise.
Michele Genco says
Sarah,
Thank you!!! I loved ALL of your words. It was refreshing to read. This post has been a total wonderful cool breeze into my hectic day at work. I love when God just sends us what we need to get through the hour. Kudos to you both.
Michele
Joanne Peterson says
God often nabs me in the bathroom when I’m showering because it is sort of the only place where hopefully I can be alone without a three or four year old from following me.
God does not just keep the wrinkles in our lives; He’s making us more like His Son, Jesus. But, I know He uses those wrinkles to draw us to Himself. I like and will remember your analogy of the iron and how He changes us.
Tracey Michae'l says
Joanne, I get shower messages too. And my toddler is likely also the reason. LOL! Thanks for reading!
Michele Genco says
That is so cute. I often think of things while blow drying my hair. I pray for people. Think of bible verses. Make my grocery list. What is it with the bathrooms and mothers? I do not have any children home anymore and I still do it. LOL
God Bless!
Kim says
I love how God can take the simplest of things and ministers to us in such profound ways. I understand the conclusion. I neglected myself for a long time, and while I know God loved me so much then, He also showed me He wanted more for me. The wrinkles are kind of like that – we can stay in the sinful patterns and neglect ourselves, others, or God’s desires for us, or we can let Him come in, lift us out of that pit like He says in Psalm 40:1-3, and walk in His healing. When I think of what it is to “shine” as Jesus said in Matthew 5, I think it starts with knowing how much God loves us as we are and letting Him come in and do the healing. Thanks for this!
Tracey Michae'l says
And isn’t that just it, Kim? We have to be willing to receive His healing. My pastor always says that the Holy Spirit is such a gentleman. We have to open the door…allow ourselves to be vulnerable enough… so that the Holy Spirit can come in and work our wrinkles out. Thanks for reading!
Michele Genco says
Yes so true. I look at some of my life as some of those wrinkles no matter how much water or starch is used they are not ever going to go away. They become part of the fabric. And that is OK. Some of the things we go through just grow to be a permanent part of our soul. They are gentle reminders of where God has brought us from and where he is taking us to. I carry many wrinkles and I am proud of each and every one. They made me who I am today. <3
Michele Genco says
OK now you talk about profound. Kim that was amazing. That really spoke to me. Thank you.
Michele
Michele Genco says
This was totally awesome. I loved all of the analogies. Thank you so much for sharing and for writing from your heart. It was a blessing to me and I am sure many others.
God Bless,
Michele
Marty says
It’s easier for me to understand some Biblical principles when they are related in a practical way. Thank you for sharing. I will never again iron without thinking of this concept. 🙂
Sarah Schulz says
I’m a sucker for a good metaphor, and I love this one! I’ve often said that God is as gentle with us as He possibly can be (evidenced by my own life and those around me)–he won’t use a sledgehammer where a gentle nudge would do. What a great image of this! 🙂
(Though He often seems happy to wear us wrinkles and all on the way! *g*)
Liz Jones says
This was a great post and I, like you, often hear God’s voice while doing mundane things. Your post convicted me. I have been struggling here of late with certain hang-ups that I do feel could be a distraction to unbelievers. These wrinkles, while they draw me closer to God because I NEED Him to work them out- are also a sign of my lack of self-control and my need to make some changes. I also believe that His grace is always enough and that He uses our flaws and brokenness in awesome ways- but there is also a time to purposefully turn on that iron and let the water, heat and pressure make the necessary changes so that we can better represent our amazing God. Love your words!
Chavos says
I love this…I can so relate to God speaking in the mundane, for me it’s when I’m washing dishes. I can also relate to being stubborn at times. I’m being “pressed” right now and it doesn’t feel good, but it’s so needed. 🙂
Ramachandra Nayak says
God speaks and sometimes ghosts of girlfriends past. About wrinkled trouser she said “Discard them, wrinkled baggy cottons and dress more smart”. It is touching she is still watching half a century on. If she says dress smart, that is the least I can do for her.
Kate Carman says
I connected with this on multiple levels – firstly because I too am not so efficient with the packing, nor the ironing! I can’t remember the last time I even ironed…..but I LOVE finding and celebrating God in the ordinary of each day 🙂
Thanks for sharing and putting your wrinkly self out there 🙂
Nancy says
I never get my clothes hung up right away and Always end up ironing!! Not something I like but a necessity of my life. I will never iron again without seeing your analogy play out!! Thank you for sharing your revelation!!!
Sandra says
Hi Tracey,
I loved what you wrote because there is so much truth in it!
When we slow down – in real time or in our minds- God is able to minister to
us in wonderful ways! He loves us just the way we are, yet because of sin – in our lives and in the world- we are not All that He created us to be. So we need a hot iron, a little bit of water , some pressure to become more like Him and more of what He intends us to be!! Therefore we must slow down and allow God to do His work so that when others see us – they will not be able to see the wrinkles but the God who is ironing them out! And in doing so the Glory goes to Him!
Thank you Tracey for reminding me of this great Truth!
Sandra
Loretta Owens says
I love it!! Some of my best conversations and revelations with our Father were driving to and from work. I think the reason it works so well is that we are used to doing the mundane even in our sleep so when the Holy Spirit speaks we actually hear and have time to meditate on the quiet truth being presented. Thanks for the reminder.
Cynthia McGarity says
I am a few days late in reading this but I HAD to leave a comment. Simply said, I LOVE THIS POST!!!! Amazingly simple but profound analogy. Beautifully relate-able. Thank you so much for sharing with your sisters here.
Justine Q says
Light-hearted and beautifully written. Love the metaphor. Thank you!