“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10 NIV
After a long day of moving and stacking firewood, I finally stepped into the shower to wash the day off. I remember thinking, I don’t want to go into tomorrow with today’s dirt still on me. As tired as I was, I knew I didn’t want that grime in my bed—and honestly, that was motivation enough.
My muscles ached. Standing hurt. But the hot water felt so good. The dirt in my hair was itchy, and the grime clinging to my arms and face felt uncomfortable and scratchy as I scrubbed it away.
That’s when I heard the Holy Spirit gently speak:
“The physical dirt you take into tomorrow is less important than the spiritual dirt you carry with you into tomorrow.”
Wow.
How often do things happen during our day—words spoken, offenses taken, thoughts entertained—and instead of washing them away with the blood of Christ, we carry them into tomorrow? We tell ourselves it’s small, that we can brush it off. But instead, we smear it around, letting it spread until it begins to feel like part of who we are.
Layer after layer, our past builds up. Hurt. Resentment. Guilt. Fear. Unforgiveness.
And before we realize it, we’re carrying yesterday’s dirt into today’s peace.
Jesus addressed this very issue in Mark chapter 7. The Pharisees complained that His disciples didn’t follow tradition and failed to wash their hands before eating. They believed this made them unclean. But Jesus responded with truth that cuts straight to the heart:
“Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It’s what comes out of a person that makes him unclean.” (Mark 7:15)
Later, He explained that evil thoughts, sinful desires, pride, envy, and selfishness come from within—and that is what defiles a person (Mark 7:18–23).
God isn’t concerned with the dirt on our hands, our tangled hair, or our outward appearance. He’s looking at our hearts. And the good news? All He asks is that we repent, surrender, and allow Him to cleanse us from the inside out.
So wash your soul with the blood of Jesus.
Cleanse your mind with God’s Word.
Let His grace and mercy purify your heart.
Allow the Holy Spirit to scrub away the lies and replace them with truth.
I don’t know who needs to hear this—but let it go. Give it to God. And go to bed.
Don’t take today’s dirt into tomorrow’s peace.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace that meets me at the end of every long day. I confess that I often carry things You never meant for me to hold—offenses, worries, regrets, and fears. I lay them at Your feet now. Wash me clean with the blood of Jesus. Renew my mind with Your truth. Purify my heart and remove anything that does not honor You. Help me to rest in Your peace and wake tomorrow refreshed, free, and restored. I trust You with yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, amen.