It’s Time to Clear Out the Clutter

It seemed a formidable task to even begin to declutter the garage. From back to front it was crammed with such a wide variety of stuff that I didn’t know where to begin. My garage was the home for everything you could think of, but there was no space for what it was made for – the car. It even contained unpacked boxes which had toured the country with us as we had moved to different areas. So, when my son offered to spend a couple of days decluttering with me, I was more than grateful.

Over time we probably all tend to gather clutter. Getting rid of that clutter isn’t an easy task. To transform my garage, it was necessary to be ruthless and only keep things that were worth keeping. There is a spiritual parallel to our lives, which can be cluttered with things we need to get rid of. Because of the clutter and noise in our lives we can easily lose sight of Jesus and His purity and be contaminated by the world and its attitudes.

Our minds need decluttering from the imprints of the world and the invasion of the enemy so we can think of the things that are true, excellent and praiseworthy. The Bible calls this transformation of the mind. In the same way, we need to deal with emotional clutter like guilt and shame, self-rejection, selfishness, fear, and people-pleasing. God is not so much interested in what we do for Him as He is in the motives behind what we do. Have you ever thought that it’s possible to be controlled by hidden motives? By getting rid of clutter we find ourselves free to know God intimately and to serve Him with pure motives.

The worst clutter of all is that which builds up from a bitter root of un-forgiveness in our hearts. Judgemental attitudes thrive in bitterness and result in us forming sinful judgements about God and about other people. Clutter causes stress and gives space and comfort to unwanted things we don’t even know are there. There was clear evidence in my garage that mice had made themselves comfortable in a box of maps which had been thrown away. In our lives, some of the clutter we hoard can give space for the enemy of our soul to establish strongholds which rob us of the freedom Jesus died to secure. These can only be demolished by the power of the precious blood of Jesus.

On the floor, amidst all the garage clutter, I found an old sad looking Amaryllis bulb which was beginning to flower out of season. It is now where it should be, in a bright sunny place in my house, giving me pleasure as I watch its growth and recovery day by day. In the midst of the clutter in our lives something beautiful can be hidden, a part of us that God wants to redeem and restore for His glory. So, we need to be ruthless about getting rid of our clutter, because we are sons and daughters of a loving Father who longs for us to live day by day in the freedom and security of His intimate love for us.

So, ‘Let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without, let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God’ (2 Corinthians 7:1, The Message).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You that Jesus died, rose again and ascended into heaven. Thank You that in Him I am accepted by You. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will reveal to me the clutter in my life that needs to be cleared out to make space for the things that really matter. Please show me Your way, the way of holiness, and fuel my desire to walk that way in my daily living. For the glory of Jesus, Amen.