The whole point of spring-cleaning or a “clutter bust” is to make space in our life; to remove the unnecessary, the old that no longer serves a purpose, the things that don’t go together, and the dysfunctional or unhelpful.
At times that means being brutally honest, and letting go of things that may have been in our world for a long time. But just as we need to be decisive and very focused about what we want in our homes when we de-clutter, God wants us to be even more focused about what we are allowing and bringing into our lives.
I find it helpful to regularly ask myself the question, “What am I listening to? What am I looking at? What am I surrounding myself with?” Because what we surround ourselves with, and allow into our lives will either increase our capacity and make us bigger on the inside, or it will deplete, limit, and cause us to feel smaller.
What we fill our lives with is going to affect us either for good, or for evil. If we listen to and surround ourselves with bad news, negativity, and fear that will eventually affect our thoughts, our belief system, and our relationship with God and others. It will be apparent in how we react, what we believe and what we say.
Jesus said it this way, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” (Matthew 12:35)
On the other hand if we fill and surround our lives with good things; with positivity, with God’s word, and with things that build our faith and strengthen us in our walk, that is what is going to go to work on the inside of us. That may mean at times choosing to ignore face book, or missing that movie, switching off TV. and our technology, and walking away from or changing a topic of conversation.
Far too often we can do the devil’s work of spreading fear and bad news for him, when in actual fact God wants us to know and share His “good news.”
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “(Matthew 11:28)
Today invite God to begin a spring clean of your internal world. He longs for each one of us to live a life of peace, joy and purpose in Him. We get to choose each day what we focus on and fill our lives with. Will it be reports of evil, fear and lack? Or will we choose to listen to and read words of faith, love and hope.
Choose wisely today because “Today’s decisions are tomorrow’s realities”. (M. Sue)
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants. (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…” (John 14:6)
Prayer: Lord help me to choose wisely what I allow and welcome into my life. Even though there may be negativity and bad news around me, please help me to choose to listen to and surround myself with words of faith, hope and love. In Jesus Name Amen.