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Today, we’re talking about something that might not be on the forefront of our minds but deeply impacts our walk with Christ: residue.
Residue is what’s left behind after an experience, whether good or bad. It’s the lingering effects of our choices, relationships, and even our struggles. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Sometimes, it’s the residue of past hurts, sins, or even victories that weighs us down.
Today, we’ll explore how to identify spiritual residue in our lives, how to seek God’s cleansing power, and how to move forward in freedom and purpose.
Residue can be anything that lingers, like shame, guilt, or pride, etc.
Identifying the spiritual residue left behind in our lives needs to happen with reflection. If we have unresolved or unaddressed issues, they can weigh us down spiritually and until we are able, to turn to God and ask Him to carry our burdens and ask Him to make us pure we won’t be able to fully work through any load we carry.
Take time in prayer to ask God to reveal what’s holding you back because once we are willing to be open to hear from the Lord on this we are on the road to becoming closer to the Lord and ready to release everything to Him.
What is one area in your life where you feel weighed down by residue?
Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
It is important to invite God to search our hearts and reveal hidden residue.
When we are looking and searching for answers the best thing, we can do is turn to the one who knows us better than we know ourselves and that is to turn to our creator, God. Self-reflection with God’s guidance bring clarity and healing. When we go about that healing, we are like a broken pot being put back together much stronger than before.
When I was walking through this type of healing and restoration, I asked God to help me identify the what’s and why’s. I need to know what would cause me issues and why they would. One of the ways I was able to focus on that is by journaling my prayers and reflections to identify patterns. In that process there was clarity in my thought process and a clearer path to receiving God’s answer.
I want to encourage you to take the same steps and seek the Lord. Ask Him to show you where healing needs to happen.
Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to lay aside every weight and sin that entangles us, running with endurance the race set before us. Psalm 139:23-24 invites God to search our hearts, reveal any offensive ways, and lead us in His everlasting way. Together, these verses emphasize the importance of identifying and removing spiritual residue—anything that hinders our relationship with God—so we can pursue Him with a clear and steadfast heart.
This process of healing and restoration is not an easy one, approach this process with grace and trust in God’s love.
Recognizing residue is the first step toward freedom in Christ.
We walk through life with so much happening and when are left with different impacts and that can look like fear, shame, guilt, pride, anxiety, and so on and so forth so walking through a healing is needed so that we can walk more in freedom with Christ.
Seeking God’s cleansing power to remove spiritual residue is what brings the freedom we are wanting in life.
1 John 1:9 says, "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."
Confession and repentance are essential steps to cleansing and relying on God’s faithfulness to forgive and purify us is also essential to focus on during the process.
Set aside time to confess and surrender areas of struggle to God.
What step of repentance do you need to take today?
God’s promise to cleanse and renew us completely.
Ezekiel 36:25-26 says, "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart."
Letting go of past hurts, sins, or habits are needed in order to embrace His transformation.
My daughter and I were in the kitchen, and I put on my apron because I was about to do some baking and I looked at her after I put it on and said, “I think I need to wash my apron.” There is flour residue all over it and it needs to be cleaned. As soon as I said that I thought about how we hold on to things and don’t fully walk through the process of healing and restoration so we can be clean and free from what we have experienced.
A great way that we can successfully walk through is to meditate on God’s promises of renewal and write them down and believe and trust the process and know that God’s word is true.
What are some promises that you can embrace as you walk through a healing season in order to maintain your focus on the Lord?
1 John 1:9 which assures us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Next, we went over Ezekiel 36:25-26 which speaks of God’s promise to cleanse us from impurities, giving us a new heart and spirit. Together, these verses highlight God’s cleansing power, showing His desire to renew us, wash away our sins, and transform us into new creations through His grace.
Trust in God’s ability to purify and renew you. God’s cleansing brings freedom and a fresh start.
As we go through life, we experience a lot and some of those things we go through we are left with hurt, pain, guilt, shame, fear and many other things and in order to live a life that is free we need to walk with the Lord and know that through Him we will be clean.
There is great reward when moving forward in freedom and purpose after cleansing.
Galatians 5:1 says, "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law."
As I walked through a time of healing and cleansing of residue on my life I would try to identify as much as I could so that when things came up, I would quickly be able to pray and turn to God before spiraling.
One way I would capture my thoughts and emotions was by paying attention to my them. I didn’t want to them control me I wanted to be able to handle things through Christ guiding me and not them. So, I would notice when I would feel out of control, stressed, overly emotional and then identify the why of feeling these certain ways. Once I took capture of that I would pray and ask God to help me to understand and I would ask Him to help me walk through it all so I could recognize the triggers sooner and sooner and I also asked Him to heal me from any pain and any strongholds that were holding me back from growing from these things in order to strengthen me. I learned to seek the Lord in and through all things and it changed my life forever. I now know what may come and I prepare myself with prayer and focusing on the truth in God’s Word.
Something else that helped me was having a few close friends and my husband that encouraged my spiritual growth. So, surrounding yourself with a community of believers is needed as well.
What can you do to stand firm in the freedom Christ has given you?
Hosea 6:1 says, "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now He will heal us. He has injured us; now He will bandage our wounds."
There is a quote that I found that fits this perfectly it says, “Brokenness by God is beautiful to Him. It is His passageway to purity. It is His entrance into intimacy. It is His plan for our maturity in the faith. However, it is painful and not always pretty. We can because stubborn and selfish in our way of doing things. We need the tender touch of our Lord to lead us away from a hardening heart to one that is broken before Him.”
So, no matter that pain we experience while walking through a cleansing it is important to press forward with purpose and leave the past behind. In the we learn and better understand that God’s plan for us is greater than our past mistakes.
Set spiritual goals for the new season and pursue them with faith.
Galatians 5:1 which reminds us that Christ has set us free, urging us to stand firm and not be burdened again by the yoke of slavery. The other scripture was Hosea 6:1 which calls us to return to the Lord, acknowledging that He heals and restores us. Together, these verses emphasize the freedom we have in Christ and the purpose of returning to Him for renewal and living in the freedom He provides, walking in His grace and truth.
As you walk through healing embrace your new identity in Christ and live boldly.
Freedom in Christ empowers us to move forward with hope and purpose.
I hope you’ve been encouraged to identify, cleanse, and move forward from the residue in your life. Remember, God’s love and grace are more than enough to renew and transform us. Let’s live each day in the freedom Christ offers, leaving behind the residue and stepping boldly into His purpose for our lives.