Psalm 51:10

Psalm 51:10
(KJV)

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

This is one of my favorite verses to pray.  I have learned over the years that you also have to be careful, truly, of what you ask for - I have, a time or two, prayed this somewhat nonchalantly.  There is nothing nonchalant about God's plan or will for us.  If you think about it - how would one have a clean heart created in them?  How would one's spirit be renewed to be right? 

Well, I can tell you.  It is not an overnight process.  Yes, God can speak things into existence, however; some things would not be what they are without a process.  In this case, I think it is safe to assume that the opposite of a clean heart is an unclean heart, and a right spirit - one with issues.  So, by my own experience (still continuing, I might add) the process of having a clean heart created in one's self is the painful digging out of the old stuff.  The stuff that keeps one held back from complete openness and communion with God.  Through the "process" of God creating a clean heart - our spirits can be renewed.  This frees us from the things that keep us down and tears down the walls that we build up for protection from hurts, etc.

While the process can be painful, the result is a closeness with God that replaces the walls that we build.  The things that the unclean heart and wounded spirit once struggled with become blurry through the haze of the presence of God in our clean heart and right spirit. 

If you have been here and done this - you are a witness of these things.  If you have never been here, pray this scripture and then let God begin the process...you will not regret it.