One of the things I truly enjoy is a fireplace; I love when it starts getting cold and I can turn on my fireplace. I love a real fireplace, a wood burning fireplace; however I have a gas fireplace in my home. It is wonderful and convenient, the only thing it doesn't have is that crackle that comes with a wood burning fireplace.

 

Each year I have enjoyed this luxury tremendously, however at the end of last winter my fireplace began to have problems. Instead of staying lit when it was not turned up high it would go out. I would relight it and it would burn for a few minutes and go out again. I decided that I would simply turn it off and have it looked at before cold weather came along again.

 

Lately we have had a couple cool mornings where I thought 'I would love to sit in front of the fireplace.' I was missing enjoying my fire so I called someone to come and look at it.

 

I was told that he would have to take the logs and fireplace itself out and check for debris and dirt, if he found any, he would clean it and according to the company that made it that should fix the problem of having no flame and having the flame continually go out.

 

I am a neat person so I couldn't understand the amount of dirt that would have to block fire could get in there - I vacuum the fireplace regularly but I still hoped he would find and fix the problem in the process.

 

He came and removed my fireplace and checked each part, cleaning as he went. After a couple hours when he was putting it back in, I said 'how did it go? Did you find a lot of dirt and debris?' He said 'no, actually I only found one speck of dirt, there is no way that is what is causing the problem, I just don't believe a speck of dirt that size would be an issue, but I will put it back in and check the next thing they told me to check.'

 

After he had it back in place, he ignited the flame and much to his surprise it worked beautifully. The flame was stronger and more consistent than it had been in a couple of years. He was shocked that the small speck of dirt he removed fixed the problem.

 

I have thought about this a great deal since then; every time I walk by the fireplace I can hear the flame now, I could never hear it before, but now it is so strong and consistent that I can literally hear it burning.

 

I believe this is how it is with many of us in our Christian walk, our flame has gone out or it is not as consistent and strong as it once was and we can't figure out what the problem is. Perhaps as it was with my fireplace, it is just a small speck that is putting out the light or causing the flame to be weak. Could it be that something small is hindering your fire? Could it be that a small speck of wrong thinking is stopping up your blessing from flowing freely and strong? Could it be that a small speck of bitterness or unforgiveness is not allowing things to flow in your life as they should? Could it be that a small speck of disappointment is hindering your flow? Disappointment is the breeding ground for unbelief and it will stop the flow of God in your life, God works in faith and belief, not unbelief which comes from disappointment.

 

I can tell you this; for me it was worth searching and finding that one little speck of dirt that was causing all the problem just as I know it would be worth taking the time to find anything that is hindering your blessings from coming through. It may be small, something you never imagined could make such an impact on what God is trying to get through to you - do some searching and make sure there is no dirt, specks, or anything else standing between you and what God has for you.

 

Keep this in mind, once the dirt was found and removed the fire now burns hotter, stronger and more consistent than ever before, so strong that I can hear it burn. That's how we should be, our faith in God, our passion for God should burn so strong that people know it when we walk by. It is time for us to burn with a new passion for God, a strong and consistent faith in God and a renewed vision of all God has for us.

 

I encourage you today to take a look at your heart and make sure there are no specks that need removing - allow the life of God to flow continually out of your heart by keeping it clean, at all times, from all specks, dirt and debris.