Declutter and Organize
I don’t know about you, but I have seen article after article and post after post about the title of this post – declutter and organize.
I understand that at this time of year, many think that the first of the year is the time to declutter your house and organize your belongings. After all, it’s been cold outside and many of us have spent the bulk of our time indoors. When ice and snow and below freezing temperatures were added to the mix, we all hunkered down in our homes. Added to that, during this last year the Coronavirus has kept us at home even more. The thought of contracting Covid-19 caused fear in many people and staying at home became our way of life.
What better activity to occupy your time than cleaning out closets and drawers and organizing your belongings so you know what you have and where it is.
I’ve spent some of my time going through the mountain of “stuff” we have and I came away, not only with straightened drawers and closets, but also with two realizations: 1) we are truly blessed with belongings, and 2) we really do have way too much “stuff!”
It reminded me of a parable found in Luke 12: 13-21 about a man we know as the “rich fool.” We remember him as the man who had so much that he actually told himself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” He was then reminded by God that he was a fool. The parable ends with these words: “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
My favorite part of this passage, however, is actually what prompted the parable. It was a warning to the people against covetousness. Jesus said to the people around Him, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (vs. 15, emphasis added).
As I was thinking about this passage in the Bible, and in particular what Jesus said in verse 15, it caused me to begin to reflect upon another kind of decluttering and organizing – that of decluttering and organizing my life.
When planning my day, if my thoughts only turn to earthly activities – jobs to do, appointments to keep, groceries to buy, cleaning to do, lunch with friends, etc. – I might want to spend some time in thought about my priorities in life. These should not be first in my thoughts.
When I spend any time fretting over the number of activities I have to accomplish in my day, or venting on Facebook about how overloaded I am with things to do, I am really in need of some decluttering and organizing in my life!
What is most important to me? Those who know me know that Matthew 6:33 is one of my favorite passages, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Jesus goes on to say in verse 34, “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow…”
I believe this is the equation for decluttering and organizing your life:
- Realize that God and His word are at the top of our priority list every day of our lives. We need to talk to Him in prayer every day and let Him talk to us through His word.
- Remove any earthly activities that are not absolutely necessary and only rob you of your valuable time. Get rid of them so that your time and your mind are not cluttered with them.
- Focus your mind on good things — things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).
- The apostle Paul says that when we focus our minds on the right things, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).
So, let’s get busy decluttering and organizing what is really important in life. When we do that decluttering and organizing our belongings won’t be nearly as hard.
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AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
