“A time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away.” (Ecclesiastes 3:6, NKJV)
It’s often said that “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I always assumed it referred to thrift shopping like garage sales and second-hand stores. However, variations of this saying go back hundreds of years.
Because I am of a certain age, I have too many “treasures.” I don’t have space for them. Most have little dollar value, but I find it difficult to let go. Decluttering is difficult because memories are attached to so many items. These things that fill my space may be trash or they may be treasure, but someday I will need to clear the clutter.
Toss or keep?
Ecclesiastes 3:6 tells us that there is a time to keep things and a time to throw them away. That’s true in a physical sense and also true in our spiritual lives. When our lives get cluttered with busyness and distractions, we may not realize how our clutter is crowding God out of our lives.
Physical clutter is easy to recognize—stacks of papers, messy closets, covered tabletops and dressers, or stacks of books toppling over. But we may not be as quick to recognize spiritual clutter. What does it look like? Simply stated, spiritual clutter is anything that comes between us and the Lord. It can be materialism, unconfessed sin, bad habits, unresolved hurts, unforgiveness, negativity, or grudges. It may disguise itself as over-commitment, comparing ourselves to others, or worry. It may also be the things that waste our time or distractions that keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose in our life.
what weighs us down?
Spiritual clutter is not always sinful, but it will weigh us down. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “lay aside every weight [burden, hindrance], and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (NKJV). Clutter slows us down and robs us of endurance.
If the vibrancy of your relationship with the Lord seems to have faded, it’s time to declutter. The things mentioned above are only a few of the things that may clutter our lives and drain us of spiritual energy. If you no longer feel passionate about the things of God, make it a matter of prayer. Ask the Lord to reveal the clutter that is weighing you down. It’s time to regain your focus and recommit to fulfilling His will in your life.
When we clear the clutter, we will find we have space for God.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Devotion by Mary Loudermilk
