With the Christmas decorations and presents stored, I survey my house. In my closets, I see too much stuff—stacks of sweaters, overflowing shoe boxes, and piled-up accessories. Articles of clothing lay untouched for months, sometimes years, gathering dust and musty smells. I bet some of those clothes are now too tight or out of style, hanging in the closet. Shoes and purses spill from every available space; the sheer quantity of my belongings means I can’t fit a thing else in. The air carried the musty smell of leather and the fine dust of long neglect. Surrounded by the accumulating clutter, I question whether there’s space for Jesus in my life or if I’ve already pushed Him aside.
Appliances and cookware cram and overflow the kitchen. 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, their surfaces fuzzy with white and green, wasted away, buried under other foods. Despite our overflowing shelves, we still buy more groceries, cramming them in until there’s barely any space left.
Our Obsession with Clutter
Other families own so much stuff—furniture, clothes, and countless other items—that they need to rent storage facilities to hold it all. The sheer volume of their belongings forced one family I knew to rent three storage units in different parts of town, each unit filled to the brim with their excess possessions. Have you noticed how many storage places are popping up in your city? We’ve become obsessed with accumulating possessions, our homes overflowing with stuff.
The need for more things pervades society, visible in overflowing landfills and unsustainable practices. All-you-can-eat restaurants, with their overflowing buffets and endless plates of food, cater to the desire for overindulgence. Blank calendars, devoid of exciting pursuits, leave us with a gnawing sense of unfulfilled potential and wasted time. We’re always busy, trying to cram eighty hours of work into a forty-hour week. The pressure is immense. Over-committed children juggling multiple activities left everyone feeling exhausted. We own countless possessions and experience more than any of our ancestors ever could, yet are we happier for it?
Less Clutter Not More
How do we solve this problem? As I travel through God’s creation, witnessing the simple contentment of families with few possessions, I’m struck by their satisfaction. The Myanmar women’s faces, though framed by simple clothing, beam with such genuine joy it’s infectious. In Nepal, families gather for meals of simple rice, sharing laughter and stories as the sun sets. I spend time with Kenyan women with lives unburdened by rigid schedules. With a free schedule, they can sit and chat with me over steaming cups of tea, enjoying the peaceful moment and a relaxed conversation.
Simplify
Do our possessions define us, or do they restrict us? I plan to simplify my life this year by decluttering my closets, donating unwanted items, and buying less. The goal is to reduce visual and mental clutter. I want to clear my calendar to make more time for get-togethers with friends, laughing and sharing stories over coffee or dinner. As a Christian, I feel God’s gentle call urging me towards a simpler, more prayerful life, a life less consumed by material things.
Christ desires my complete and undivided attention, my every thought, feeling, and action. When my focus is on worldly possessions, the clamor of greed and materialism drowns out the quiet voice of Christ in my heart. I pray that by removing distractions from my home, I can better focus on my relationship with Christ, the most important thing in my life.
What can you do to de-clutter your life and find more freedom in Christ alone? How can you find more room for Jesus?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we become obsessed with owning stuff and clutter. We focus on our things more than on our relationship with you. Help us learn to live a simpler life that has you at the center of everything. You are the most important thing in life. Thank you for all you provide to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
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.”
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I’ve been trying to de-clutter in this new year as well, Yvonne. Thank you for the encouragement. Material clutter causes issues and so does our mental clutter. I’m glad you shared this message. Praying for your process and I’m grateful for your prayers as I attempt to keep my de-clutter mode going.
Thanks Katherine. Just finished cleaning out some of the kitchen cabinets. It’s so freeing. I’ll be praying for you.
I function so much better in a space that’s not cluttered. I definitely spend more time with God in a space that’s not cluttered!
Oh, me too Priscilla but it creeps in on me. Working on it this years. Thanks and God bless
The older I become, the less clutter I want in my life. I go through spells of cleaning out closets and shelves. I’m able to donate “used but like new items” to places where there is a need. I pray I will keep my focus on God and not “stuff”. Great message. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Thank you Melissa. I try to donate lots of the stuff too. I find things I bought and never used. Blessings to you too
Thanks for reminding us to get rid of the clutter. I think many Americans have sensory overload just from being surrounded by a lot of stuff. I like the concept of setting a goal to reduce visual and mental clutter. Most appreciated.
I think you are right Joanna with the sensory overload. Thank you and God bless.
Decluttering brings freedom! More space to move around in, both mentally and physically. An best of all, it opens up space for God.
I have some kitchen drawers I need to go work on! Thanks, Yvonne!
I agree 💯. Good luck on the drawers. God bless
Yvonne, this was a heartfelt message that really hit home with me. I’ve always been a minimalist. But I’m finding more clutter materially and my schedule is overbooked. I’d love to simplify, declutter, and make room for Jesus and wherever He leads.
I’ll be praying you find the time and your schedule opens up. Thanks Melissa and God bless.
This is excellent. The idea of minimalism appeals to me for precisely this reason… too much stuff crowds out the important things in life, like Jesus and love and the things of eternity.
I agree Jessica. I need less clutter to allow me to focus on my relationship with Christ. God bless
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