Stool Softener

I was in my favorite health food store the other day and while cruising through the aisles, my eyes were drawn to a bottle labeled "All Natural Stool Softener". I didn't think too much about it until I was almost 3 more aisles over. Let's just say that my fiber intake has been good lately so I wasn't in need of any stool softener. I suddenly began to chuckle because Jesus was pricking my heart and it wasn't about my diet.

You have heard me talk about the stool in my closet. That is the place where I go when I am needing to get away, cry, pray, or prevent from ripping someone's head off. It is the place where I pour my heart out to God in desperation. I am amazed how many women have shared that they have a stool in their closet. I also have some guy friends that study their Bible in the closet. Maybe that is why builders have been building homes with larger, walk-in closets. We need to walk in and stay a while.

There is a man in the Bible by the name of Nabal we read about in 1 Samuel. He is quite a character. You get the image that he was a rich jerk. He comes across as the type that would be rude and treat people poorly. He was arrogant and probably used his riches in the wrong way. But worst of all, scripture says that he was hard hearted. One of his servants said of him: "for he is such a son of Belial [the devil], that a man cannot speak to him” (1 Samuel 25:17). Imagine that: that there would be a man with such an unpleasant demeanor that no one could even so much as speak to him. But I don’t think this simply means that he was ill-tempered, but that he was also stubborn, and couldn’t be reasoned with. That is, if by chance he would stop and listen to another’s counsel, he would not be dissuaded from doing evil, or be convinced of any wrong-doing. We then see David being kind to Nabal in the Bible and later asking Nabal for a favor. Nabal is rude and offensive, but it is Nabal's wise wife that takes gifts to David and apologizes. Basically, she saves his butt. Nabal remained hard hearted and didn't listen to anyone. God finally gives him what he deserves. The man with the hard heart becomes stone and dies a few days later.

A hard heart can be a fatal flaw. It is basically arrogance and pride. It is the by product of taking our eyes off of God and focusing on ourselves. When I lower myself onto that stool in my closet, and lift God up, it is the very principle of worship. I admit I wrestle with Him in those moments but I don't get up until I surrender my ways to His ways. I confess it doesn't come naturally, but it is necessary to keep a softened heart. THAT is my personal recommendation for an "All Natural Stool Softener".