Conquering Clutter

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

Philippians 3:8

I can easily lose focus when I am weighed down with garbage of the heart, mind, and home, with achievements and failures. I am sensitive and sentimental, and it is sometimes hard for me to release whatever triggers my emotions, whether it’s a thing or a thought or a feeling. But I have learned that the more lightly I hold on to earthly treasures, the more tightly I hold to the eternal. I am not just talking about uncluttering my home, but uncluttering my mind, heart, and schedule as well.

In Philippians 3, Paul unclutters all his past achievements in an impressive worldly résumé. He points all of us ahead to what we need to focus on—knowing Christ. Knowing Christ is a journey that is always meant to move us forward. Our relationship with Him cannot be stagnant. When we give Him our focus, He invigorates us!

To follow Paul’s lead, on a regular basis I try to get rid of something in our home that feels uncomfortable to let go of. I make this purge a household habit to lighten my heart. Whether it is a big undertaking or is accomplished little by little, discarding is a personal, outward step that reminds me of eternal gain instead of earthly loss.

As I discipline my heart this way, I typically find myself talking with the Lord about it all:

“Oh Lord, I do not want to miss anything You have for me, because I know it is the best. Why would I want to miss Your best? Help me to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, as Philippians 3:13 says. Help me also not to hold too tightly to things.”

Time to take out the garbage! Make a list of whatever thoughts, issues, habits, distractions, pastimes, attitudes, or actions end up looking like garbage in your life. Then throw the list in the trash can as you ask the Lord to help you leave those things there and, instead, prioritize Him and His desires for you.