A Pastor’s Thoughts

By Pastor Jay Geistdorfer, Owego Church of the Nazarene —

It was a 1992 Ford Ranger with about three billion miles on it; it had been passed down from my father to me after several years of living my worst life had left me without a vehicle. I treated it like my personal trash can. I rarely washed it and never took the time to clean it out.  

My wife had to take her car in for repair, so she informed me early in the morning that my truck would become our primary mode of transportation. So, because of this I thought I had better clean out my truck. It took a while for me to get all of the trash out, and when I did my arms were literally filled with the garbage I had collected.

I walked into my garage, and as soon as I did the phone began ringing (my cell phone was somewhere on my body but I had no idea where; you have been there). I began to feel panicked! I remembered I was expecting a very important phone call, a call that was going to ultimately decide what my next step in life was going to be. 

However, I could not answer the phone because my arms were loaded down with garbage. As I stood there for what seemed like hours the phone rang and rang, and trying to figure out what in the heck to do a voice in my head told me, “Put down the trash and find the phone, dummy.”  

I know it sounds simple; in fact, you were probably thinking that all along.  However, at the time, and for whatever reason, that thought in particular had never occurred to me. I was just confused on how to solve this very real problem. I wasn’t able to find the trash can, so finally I decided it was time to drop the trash in a pile and answer the phone. 

I laugh as I look back on that story because what seems so simple and obvious now was not clear at all in the moment, and that’s the way it is with life as well.

All of us can find ourselves with “garbage” in life, emotional garbage, physical garbage, spiritual garbage (whether it’s ours or someone gave it to us). And far too many of us carry that trash around, like I carried it from my truck that day.  

It kind of has a hold on us and can keep us from doing what we really need to do. Then when opportunities come our way (like the phone call) we can miss them completely if we choose to remain paralyzed, holding on to the trash, thus not allowing us to take the action we need to take. 

So, what I am really trying to say here is what that voice said to me inside my head so many years ago, “Put down the trash.”  

Or, a better way of saying it would be how Peter said it in I Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.” 

One of the things I am learning is that it is never a burden for me to take all of my trash and give it to Jesus. He doesn’t roll His eyes. He doesn’t put His hands on His hips and shake His head, or ask the question my wife often asks, “Have you heard of a trash can?” He doesn’t say, “Get that garbage out of here.” 

He simply takes that trash, disposes of it, and moves us forward with the opportunity to be out from under it.  

I would love to tell you my truck today is free of all its rubbish, however a quick peek in there today and I realize it’s time for another clean out. Your life is the same, daily we have to see what trash has been dumped into our lives and realize that’s not something we need to carry around, we have a God with a big ole trash can for our big ole garbage.  

I wish I could say that all we have to do is “give it all to Jesus” one time and we are good for life. However, I find myself in situations over and over again where I am having to continually re-surrender my anxiety, fear, and other random garbage to Him; because even though I have surrendered certain situations to Him before, I find myself taking them back!   

It is so freeing to see this invitation in the Scriptures, to cast ALL of our cares on Him. Why? Because He cares for us! He has seen every tear we’ve cried. He has been up with us all night when we could not sleep. He has held the universe together when we felt like our world was falling apart. And when we can’t handle it anymore, He can! 

So, whatever garbage you are carrying around that is weighing you down or keeping your hands too full, take a few minutes and “cast your cares on Him”, He can handle it.

I will say this, my life is in better order today than it was all those years ago and a big reason is someone cared enough for me to help me learn that I didn’t have to live in my garbage forever. The person you were today or yesterday doesn’t have to be the person you are tomorrow. If you are feeling like your life is loaded down with way too much garbage and you want to talk to someone about being free from that, if your anxiety and fear are keeping you stuck, take a chance on Jesus! 

If you don’t know what that looks like or are interested in hearing more about a life with Jesus, take the first step toward freedom today. You can reach me via email at pastorjay@owegonaz.com, or by calling (607) 687-1932. Our area is blessed with many great churches, and church communities take a chance; walk through the doors of your local church and give God the opportunity to remove the garbage in your life.