Letting Go to Just Live

  De-cluttering is a huge theme in our lives these days.  In an era of ‘never enough’ we find ourselves faced with filled storage containers to simply contain all the ‘stuff’ that does not fit in our houses or the garage!

CONTAINERS OF MEMORIES!

A friend shares the story of how she had accumulated five large plastic tubs in the corner of her apartment, containing mementoes of her family heritage and history.  These containers had traveled across country several times, when moves were made and had become so large and heavy, physically moving them became a challenge! 

The goal had been to sort through all that was collected over the years, organize
the contents and then create well documented insights using the photos, slides, relevant documents, and other elements to give to each of her children.  

As the containers continued to ‘grow’ she opened one and discovered some of the contents, including an old family Bible, beginning to mildew.  She was mortified!  

CHALLENGES IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES  

It’s not uncommon that our Spiritual lives feel much the same.  We keep ‘stuffing’ things in our hearts and minds to come back to later, and often we forget what we’ve stored there.  We haven’t taken time to just ‘sit’ with the Lord in quiet.  We consume the information, but life is calling us, so we rush about doing all those things that ‘just have to be done!”  Life in essence is crowding Him out!

As things pile up and our minds are trying to process, we are slowly disconnecting with God.  Our prayers feel rushed or mechanical, or even non-existent because subconsciously we’re ashamed of where we are.  To talk with Jesus, would require a bit of repentance and who wants to feel guilty?

JESUS COMMUNED WITH THE FATHER

Jesus was all about withdrawing to a private place to commune with the Father.  He didn’t do this because he was weak, but he knew that ‘closeness’ can only come from intimacy; that private time to surrender, and just be still and listen!  

If this was important to Jesus, who was human, but also all God, how much more important should it be for us?  

MAKING ROOM FOR GOD

Un-cluttering our souls begins by making room for God.  Life is loud and busy.  Our world (and Satan) is intent on making us so busy we have no time for anything but activity.  

        With activity comes fatigue.  We become so tired that all we want is to go to sleep, so even prayer becomes an effort we choose to forego!  So we plan for the morning, but we went to bed late, and haven’t caught up with sleep yet, so we hit the snooze button and by the time we are out the door, we’re late….again!

God is not going to ‘invade’ our space with demands for time with Him.  He’s waiting for an invitation --to let Him know we want him there.  Our intentions are good, but they don’t always work out.  Suddenly it becomes a vicious cycle.  Finding time with our Creator just doesn’t seem to happen.  Sometimes we just have to 'let go' of something, just to live and be able to cope with all that's going on.

IN THE STILLNESS

To have an un-cluttered soul isn’t about intentions that don’t bear fruit.  It’s about actually s.t.o.p.p.i.n.g. and engaging with him, along with listening to hear his voice.    It’s in the stillness, when we are quiet, that this unique, sacred interaction, will happen. 

Photo Credit: Storage Bins full of Stuff 

Photo Credit: Clutter

Photo Credit: Fatigue