As I write this, our city is enveloped in what feels like an evil cold. Sub-zero temperatures await me as I go out to my car for my commute. I know from experience that I need to allow some extra time to warm the car up. It’s also likely that the windows will be adorned with the glittering frost, reminding me of the tenacity of this cold.

I try to redeem and repurpose many of life’s everyday experiences. This blanket of arctic air is no different.

Each morning when I awake there is a layer of ice caked on my heart. There is a hardness and coldness that I must remove. I have to scrape it off with the Word of God and prayer. I need to mortify (or put to death) the sin that remains. Like a commuter with gloves, scarf, and scraper in hand, I have work to do.

Just this morning, I was reminded of the resolve that must accompany this work. Because, let’s face it, sometimes reading our Bible, meditating on the Word, praying, and confessing sin seem like real chores. Being glad in God is often difficult. Like driving in a cold car or standing in a brisk wind, you have a hard time rejoicing. But the psalmist reminds me of the need to be resolved in this. Often, we have to begin with a personal commitment to do what we may not feel like doing. Can you relate to this? Listen to what he says:

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” (Ps. 9:1-2)

Often, doing these things begins to melt the heart and clear your spiritual vision. When you pray to God for help, even admitting that you are cold and sluggish, God will likely—through the act of honest prayer—graciously begin to melt away the frost of indwelling sin.

Living in a fallen world means living in perpetual winter, at least in the morning. With each frosty morning, we must grab our tools and get to work. When we wake up and face our day, nobody is going to do this for us. So, we grab our tools and, with the resolve modeled in the Scriptures, we get to work scraping away the icy frost upon our hearts.

Editor's Note: This post originally appeared at Erik's blog, Ordinary Pastor.