It’s that time of year. My neighborhood is having a ‘community garage sale’ weekend soon, and all households are encouraged to participate. To me, the best part about the event is that the coordinators will be providing two bins: one to haul away left-over ‘junk’ and one to collect donations. I like the idea behind these—don’t bring back home any of the clutter that has been removed. Though I don’t have any household items of significance to offer in a garage sale this year, I do have plenty of other clutter that could use some clearing.
If we were to consider clearing our spiritual clutter, we could ask ourselves similar questions as if preparing for a garage sale: What do we keep? What do we really need? What takes up space and is of no use anymore? What no longer fits? What is in the way? What have we just grown accustomed to? We can continue with a few more direct and spiritually specific questions: What hurts do we need to release? What habits do we need to get rid of? What is keeping us from being fully with Jesus? When we begin taking honest ‘inventory,’ we will likely see what we have been holding on to for too long and what inhibits our spiritual growth and vision.
Some of the answers to these questions may be difficult to identify or to acknowledge, and that’s okay. The Lord knows and will help us if we just spend some time with Him and ask. It takes work to go through closets and dressers and the dreaded junk drawers. Places where it’s easy to let things accumulate. As we do with our household items, we collect things in our hearts and souls that weigh us down and take up precious space.
Let us pray about how to clear our spiritual clutter so it is removed and hauled away. We can start with just two or three of the questions above, or questions our prayer presents, and ask the Lord to help us clear away what we don’t need and what keeps us from being closer to Him. With more ‘organized,’ open, and renewed hearts, we’ll have space for our faith and trust to flourish as we welcome the healing grace of our merciful God.
Finally, brothers (and sisters), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil 4:8)
Journeying to Grace 