Killian McDonnel a monk from Minnesota says that there are three things we have to deal with in our spiritual lives:

Treasure

Baggage

Garbage

Treasures are the things in our life that are strengths that give us a positive identity and moral integrity.

Baggage are things external to us we choose to carry through life, burdens that aren’t essential.

Garbage is the rotten stuff that accumulates in our lives and brings the odor of unpleasantness and the danger of infection to our souls,

I want to think about what we do with the garbage in our life. The rotten stuff.

I came across a quote from Leonard Sweet that made me think about this. Here is what he said

“On the cross Jesus turned cursing into curing, belittling into blessing. The curse of being hanged on a tree was transformed into a symbol of forgiveness and salvation. This is the scandal of the Gospel: that what in your life is most cursed and hateful can become your greatest instruments for redemption and healing and blessing”

Ann helped Katherine Wall set up a composter the other week. You pour rotting rubbish, food waste and garden waste in and the process of composting turns rubbish into a substance that can bring fresh growth when applied to plants.

I know its not a metaphor used in Scripture, but I think we could call the Holy Spirit the Divine Composter. He can take all the garbage of our life and transform it so it can bring growth and health not to plants but to our lives. Composters can turn organic garbage into fertilizer, the Holy Spirit can take all of your human garbage and make it into soul fertilizer. He can transform and redirect flaws and weaknesses in our character to be sources of strength and growth.

Just think about some of the examples we see of this happening in the pages of Scripture:

David’s lust for women is recycled into a passion for God’s heart.

Jacob, a lying, cheating rogue is recycled into a wise and shrewd leader of people.

Moses, a violent, impetuous young man with an anger management problem is recycled into a fearless leader of a nation.

John, one of the “Sons of Thunder” an angry vengeful man is recycled into the Apostle of love

Saul of Tarsus, a Jewish Nationalist and persecutor of Christians, is recycled into Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles and in 1 Cor 13 pens possible the greatest description of love ever written.

Could it be that the very worst in me can be “divinely composted” into the best of me?

Could it be if you brought that garbage in your life to Him that has held you back in life, he could recycle it to be the source of new growth in your life?