Today I have been decluttering, which by definition is the process or activity of getting rid of mess and things you do not need or want from your home or other place. To declutter causes you to organise and prioritise one’s commitments and material possessions etc in order to make it more pleasant and useful.
We can have so much going on; so much noise, activity and things around us that we can all run the risk of missing what we actually want to be surrounded by and to hear and see. Our lives can quickly feel cluttered and the more clutter we have the less peaceful and focused we are.
When we declutter a room or area of our house a good way to get motivated and have some direction is to spend a few minutes visualising that room and thinking about how we want it to look. What are the most essential pieces of furniture? What doesn’t belong but has just gravitated there? What is on the floor (hint: only furniture and rugs belong there) and what is on the other flat surfaces? Once we’ve visualised how the room will look uncluttered and figured out what is essential, we can get rid of the rest.
The same can be said for our lives. It’s good to spend some time looking at our life, just as we would a room, and think about how we want it to look. What is most essential and beneficial and what doesn’t belong and has just gravitated into our lives? What is in the way, or crowding and cluttering our life – much like unnecessary things on a floor?
This is where I find it helpful to ask God to reveal his design for our lives. What does it look like to Him when I’m uncluttered, focused and free?What does He say is essential, and what does He say I need to surrender to Him or get rid of? I ask Holy Spirit to show me and to release that vision, because once I can visualise how my life will look uncluttered, I am far more likely to let Him have free rein and to move in my life and willingly let go of any “clutter”.
When our home is filled with clutter, trying to tackle a mountain of stuff can be quite overwhelming. Many advise to start with just five minutes. These baby steps are important; they are a start, and tomorrow we can take another five minutes and another few minutes the next day. Before we know it, we’ll have cleared a whole cupboard or a room and our whole house.
The decluttering process works the same way in our emotional, spiritual and mental lives. Start with taking five minutes today to ask Jesus where you can de-clutter your life. Then tomorrow do it again and then the next until you grow to love the de-cluttered feel, look and the freedom it brings.
God I believe is a fan of the decluttering process because He knows it is very hard for us to stay focused and live in true freedom if our lives are overflowing with “stuff”. When we allow God to have access to every area of our life we are can more easily see what we actually want to have in our life and to then ask ourselves the question, “Do I want any of this stuff or do I want to let go and make room for new things?”
I encourage you to take some time over the next few days to look at what you do want to move forward with in your life and what is, or has become clutter. What possessions, attitudes, relationships, mindsets or issues are not helpful, beneficial or necessary in your life, and what do you wish to keep? God wants to help so take the opportunity to pray and ask for Him to assist and guide you as you take the steps to look ahead and see what is possible. Then determine to let go of “stuff” and declutter your world.
“Let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.”(Hebrews 12:1)
“Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Prayer: Lord thank you that you want me to live a life that is full of life and freedom. Help me to de-clutter my life, whether that be physically in my home or work, or in my inner world and relationships. Give me wisdom and clarity to know what to hold onto to, what to let go of and what to throw away. In Jesus Name Amen.