Has your inbox been inundated with ideas to simplify in the New Year? I’ve also read several articles on Facebook with ideas for cleaning and organizing. It seems to be a popular topic. We take different approaches: new filing system, purging junk drawers, and cleaning cupboards. We discard packages with past expiration dates and remove unnecessary clothing in our closets. We have a sense of accomplishment when we see neat and organized spaces.
In the past week, I opened personal junk drawers in my mind and heart. A recent experience triggered thoughts of an unpleasant event years ago. I rehearsed it in my mind as if I were writing a script for a play. To make matters worse, like a modern day Eve, I took the serpent’s bait and shared my thoughts with a friend. It was a monologue straight from my junk drawers.
I should have checked the expiration date before I opened my mouth. Like a vintage cupboard, the “retro” event happened years ago. It’s past and irrelevant. Apparently, I had hung on to it.What I “wore” that day was not becoming. (I asked forgiveness of the person I shared the information with. There was no need to clutter her mind with my rant.) My accessories of hurt, irritation, disappointment, and frustration did not compliment me or enhance my appearance. They detracted from it.
Filing systems, junk drawers, expiration dates, and clothing. We may want to take inventory and simplify by reorganizing and rearranging, but discarding and removing is essential. If it’s not needed, has outlived its time, and isn’t beneficial, then I need to remove it.
So, practically speaking, pens that didn’t have ink, business cards I didn’t need, and a box of muffin mix with a April 2017 date went in the trash. I found a few sweaters in my closet I hadn’t worn in two years. 2018 wasn’t going to usher in their appearance, so I’m heading to drop off to charity.
The emails and articles encouraging me to simplify turned out to relate to more than filing, cupboards, drawers, and closets so that I’d have a more organized and neat home. I had to organize and clean my mind and heart. I needed to throw out the files of irritation, hurt, and disappointment. I know it will be more than an annual activity. It’s an ongoing task as new challenges arise.
I went back to my own words on last week’s post about my Selah-resting and being still. At the time, I didn’t realize in my Selah, I would take a major personal inventory and clean my words, mind, and heart. As my friend April White said in her recent post, “resting and being still is active work”. http://redchairmoments.com/blog/
Yes it was and yes it is.
What about your Selahs?
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV
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Oh, I hear you about the proverbial junk drawer. I need to do the same, but I open the drawer with good intention. And then I close it!
Wow! This really spoke to me. "I had to clean and organize my heart." I love the quote from April too.
Thank you!
Thank you for commenting- yes a perverbial drawe. Sometimes we clean and toss; sometimes we close it but revisit.
Thank you Beckie. I wrestled with posting it so I appreciate hearing it ministered to you.
I just cleaned out a cabinet filled with plastic cups to make space for our letter holder that usually sits out on the counter. Then, I pulled up a few blogs to read and yours jumped out at me. Cleaning and organizing provides space for things that really matter. Allowing the Spirit to clean out my heart provides a clean space for Him to work on things that really matter. Thank you for sharing! Loved it!
I loved the metaphors you used to talk about cleaning out the junk in our hearts. I have a lot of decluttering to do in my house that I’m working on, but I hadn’t thought about the decluttering of my mind—great thoughts.
Thank you, Melanie.
Thank you for your comments!