A Ruthless Decluttering

By: Jenifer Metzger

My husband and I have been doing some serious deep cleaning and decluttering. I don't know how we ended up with so much stuff! We've come across things we didn't know we still had, and even some things that we have no idea where we got it or why. And really, how many cups does one family truly need!?

We've been selling items, donating items, and throwing away things that can't be sold or donated. We have been ruthless! It is amazing how much we have gotten rid of in just a few weeks. The process has been tedious and frustrating at times, yet, we've also felt so much freedom and relief along the way.

We've made space in our home for things we truly love and use and things that matter to us. We've gotten rid of things that held space in our home that didn't need to be there.

The same is true for our lives. Sometimes we need to do a deep cleaning and decluttering of our hearts and minds. We need to take inventory of what we allow to take up space. Does it really need to be there? Does it matter? What happens if it goes away? Is it weighing us down or benefiting us?

Here are some areas we need to regularly deep clean.

Our hearts. Is there any unforgiveness lurking in our heart? Who do we hold a grudge or bitterness against? Is there any unrepentant sin we need to lay before God? What guilt or shame have we allowed to take root in our heart?

Our minds. Where does our mind wander to in the quiet moments? What thoughts run through our head when someone has wronged or offended us? What impure or sinful thoughts play over and over in our mind?

Our habits. What habits have we picked up that have taken away from our time with God? Do we have any habits that are unhealthy to our body or mind? Is there anything in our life that seems okay on the surface but is actually a negative habit taking root?

Our activities. Are the activities we engage in sinful? Are the TV shows, movies, games, books, and music we partake in pleasing or evil in God's sight?

We need to carefully look at these four areas. We need to ask God to reveal to us anything that doesn't need to be there. Then, we need to be ruthless and get rid of anything we shouldn't hold on to.

And most importantly, once we get rid of something, we need to fill that space with good before the bad comes back. With our recent deep cleaning and decluttering, when we empty a cabinet of something, we have to go back through and reorganize and adjust so the empty space doesn't remain empty. If we just leave an empty space in the cabinet or on the wall, we are tempted to go out and buy something to fill it -something we don't need.

If we rid ourselves of habit or activity, we need to fill that time with something good like Bible reading, prayer, worship, or serving in the church. If we empty ourselves of the burden of unforgiveness, we need to fill the gap with forgiveness, love, and compassion.

We should reevaluate and do a ruthless declutter of our lives regularly. Just like I have no idea how I've ended up with so much unnecessary stuff in my home, our lives quickly fill up with unnecessary stuff if we aren't careful to do a cleaning.

Discussion:
1. When is the last time you did a deep cleaning of your life? How did it go?
2. What areas do you need to deep clean today?