I hate buying T-shirts. Even if they look good in the store, the question is always, “How much will it shrink when I wash it.” Sometimes, there is none, and sometimes the change is dramatic. It results in a few shirts I wear in the summer, not from Thanksgiving to New Year (if you know what I mean).

Shrinkage can be a problem for clothes. It is a more significant issue when it comes to our hearts.

There are numerous ways to describe what happens to a person over a lifetime. Your heart can become calloused, or it can become black, or it can shrink. It started happy, healthy, and the right size, but it can reduce a little every year. People turn their back on you, and someone hurts you. There is the loss of people you love, and other traumas are like hot water on new cotton; soon, the item no longer fits.

One struggle over the life of a believer is to fight shrinkage. At least I know it is for me.

I wish I could offer you a straightforward solution, but it takes concentrated effort over and over for me. I read my Bible, pray, write a thankful journal, spend time in quietness and reflection, do things I enjoy, try to connect to people who share my faith, and spend time with family.

For some of the shirts I buy, I am meticulous about how I maintain them. No hot water is used; they are often air dry only, and I make every effort not to shrink.

We must use the same energy to ensure our hearts fit us for a lifetime.