Looking around the closets of my house, I see too much stuff. Articles of clothing not touched in months and sometimes years. I would bet some of the clothes do not even fit me anymore. Too many shoes, too many purses, so much stuff that I have no room for anything new. Do I have room for Jesus?
The kitchen suffers from overcrowding as well. In the pantry, two or three bottles of the same type of spices. Boxed food dating back to before time began, gathering dust on the shelves. Moldy cheeses and fruits wasted because they sat buried under other foods. And yet, we still buy more groceries and cram them into the overflowing shelves.
John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
Luke 3:11 (NIV)
More Room for Jesus
Other families own so much stuff that they need to rent storage facilities to hold it all. One family I knew rented three units at three different locations to keep all their overflow of possession. Have you noticed how many storage places are popping up in your city? We have become obsessed with owning more and more things.
This need for things has now spread beyond our households. All you can eat restaurants fill the need for overindulging. Calendars not filled up with pursuits leave us feeling underutilized. We try to work eighty hours in a forty-hour workweek. The children enrolled in too many activities leave us exhausted. We probably own and do more things than any of our ancestors, but are we any happier?
Less not More
As I travel through God’s creation, I realize how satisfied families can be with much fewer possessions. I see the joy on the faces of Myanmar women with only a few outfits in their closets. Nepal families celebrate life together with just a few bowls of rice to eat. I visit with Kenyan women who have nothing on their calendars. They have time to sit down with me and enjoy a cup of tea and a conversation without a cluttered schedule.
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:15 (NIV)
Simplify
Do we own our belongings, or do they own us? I plan to simplify my life by cleaning out closets and buying less stuff this year. I want to free up my calendar for more time with friends. As a Christian, I feel God is calling me to a simpler life. Christ wants my whole heart. When my focus is on worldly possessions, my heart cannot turn to Christ entirely. I pray that fewer distractions in my home will help me spend more time with the most fundamental thing we need, Christ.
What can you do to de-clutter your life and find more freedom in Christ alone? How can you find more room for Jesus?
Blessings,
Yvonne M Morgan, #Blogger, #Speaker, #Writer
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
100% of the proceeds from sales of my book, Turning Mountains Into Molehills, go to help the orphans at Orphan Relief Effort, Inc
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The older I become, the more I realize stuff is not as important as I once thought. 🙂 Now I prefer to fill my life with Him.
Me too Melissa. Stuff yet causes clutter. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and God bless.
Hi Yvonne,
It is indeed a great joy to be here today! 🙂
I found this post curated on Twitter and landed here.
Yes, this is indeed a very timely note to me. Yes, it is high time that we need to find more rooms for our Savior and Lord. We have everything in sufficient but sad to note that many could not find any space for their Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. This post is indeed and alert to such people.
Let us have more space for our Saviour.
I am sure if we have everything without Jesus we are nothing! or we are empty.
Keep sharing.
Best Regards
~ Philip
Thank you so much for your kind words. Busyness and clutter squeeze out room to spend time with God. We get much more benefits from a relationship with a Jesus than hoarding stuff. God bless.
Such a great reminder that things come no where close to God!
And too much stuff can crowd Him out of our lives. Thanks and God bless.
Yvonne – it’s as if you’ve been peering over my shoulder. For the past several months I’ve been focused on decluttering and simplifying. And I’m committed to buying less “stuff” this year. As I prepare to downsize y home, I’m realizing the reality that my possessions really do possess me instead of the other way around.
That is wonderful to hear. I hope God shows you many things as you declutter and simplify. It is so freeing. Thanks and God bless.
I’m dating a man from Africa. As I’ve become acquainted with him and his friends, I’m learning the power of contentment with living with less. They’re even working jobs they’re overqualified for and joyful at all times! May my stuff never own me.
Amen Candice. We can learn a lot from other cultures when it comes to simply living. As long as we have food, a little money and shelter, we can be happy
Thanks and God bless
The Scripture quotes reminded me of another one, Luke 12:18, where it talks about a surplus harvest and building bigger barns to store. So rather than share, it is hoarded. All a great reminder that we are called to generously share what we have and live a simple life that is devoted to God.
So true Anne. And as the old saying goes, you don’t get to take it with you. Thanks and God bless
Yvonne, It’s sad the storage facilities and garages and basements that are filled to the brim. And my thoughts are if we aren’t using them and needing them right now, do we need them at all. While I use to hate all the times we moved in ministry, I liked the fact that I used that time to declutter and give away things. And since I’ve been to a third world country as well, I know things don’t make anyone happy. So many just need the basics to survive, while we are living in abundance. Making room for Jesus is the most important thing/person we can possess.
Yes it is the most important thing in life. I think sometimes we don’t fully grasp how our things can crowd out Jesus. Thanks and God bless
Oh Yvonne, what a message! I am a minimalist at heart, but unfortunately I live with many savers. So, I am always balancing my needs for less with their needs to keep. Regardless, we have way more than is needed. Lord have mercy on our selfish eyes and hearts. And you are so right, it is freedom to let go of “stuff”, so there is more room in our lives for Christ. Praying we can do a deep soul cleaning soon.
Thank you my sister. It amazes me how much stuff can interfere in our relationship with God; keeping up with the Jones instead of with God. Thanks and God bless.
What a great reminder! I think the things of this life can easily distract us and own us. This was convicting and made me wonder what in my own house I need to simplify!
I think we all could simplify life in some ways even if that means reducing our calendars too. Thanks Emily and God bless.
This is excellent! I laughed out loud at these: “Boxed food dating back to before time began, gathering dust on the shelves. Moldy cheeses and fruits wasted because they sat buried under other foods. And yet, we still buy more groceries and cram them into the overflowing shelves.”
Sounds familiar. We recently discussed this very thing and reworked our shopping system. We now wait until the cupboards are bare before shopping. We just relocated twice in two years. The first move rooted out the food from the B.C. era. This second move propelled half of my clothing to Goodwill. Smaller quarters forced me to empty the shelves. Every time we streamline, I’m relieved. That goes for schedules as well. A superb post that pokes right at our American wealth and excess.
I know, right. I know one family that buy no groceries (other than perishables) the first month of the year so that use up all the stuff in their pantry. I need to try this too. Thanks Melinda and God bless.
I agree! Too much stuff makes me feel chaotic and tricks me into thinking my stuff is what matters. My stuff doesn’t matter at all. What matters are God and other people!
You are so correct. So many have it backward, they love stuff instead of people. Thanks and God bless.
Our ‘stuff’ so often becomes a false idol. One of my life journeys included going from a 4 bedroom house with a packed garage and a stuffed attic to living in an RV! I definitely noticed more of God’s creations in the experience.
So very true Maribeth. We put our trust in our stuff. I’m glad to hear you are noticing God more when you became unburdened. I pray you continue to get closer to God. Thanks and God bless.