Literally

Corners-  For the past few years Pastor Jones has talked about my corners. What are you talking about Crystal?  The corners of my house.  I have occupied every corner of my house with something.  A box, a plastic storage bag, backpacks or something else has occupied every corner of my house.  I may be short on space in my home, however, I have no desire to move into a bigger home.   I love our home, but I needed my to free up my corners.

Tired of looking at blocked corners, it was time to make a change.  I called it, “Project corner clean out”.  Lawdy Jesus!  It was a semi-major project, but corner by corner I began to clear things out.  Empty product boxes, like an empty crockpot box, or an empty Keurig box had slowly invaded the corners of my home.  I totally use the products and have no intension of returning the product to the boxes.  Why was I holding on to unnecessary stuff? I’m not sure even sure what I told myself! I have no idea why I was stacking my corners with junk, but I assure you that I had accumulated a lot of unnecessary clutter in my corners. It was time to declutter!

According to Dr. Alice Boyes there are benefits of decluttering.  In her article, “Six Benefits of an Uncluttered Space” Dr Boyes shares six reasons to unclutter.  One of the benefits that stood out the most for me was decluttering creates a sense of confidence and self-efficacy. (Boyes. A 2018)

I could definitely relate to this! Once I freed my corners of clutter, and it felt so amazing.  I could now envision a beautiful plant in the corner or even a small table for decoration.  I also felt such a strong sense of accomplishment.  It was the satisfaction in knowing that I was able to finish something that I had started.  My house looked freer and cleaner.  Pastor came in and said, “WOW! I haven’t seen that corner in a couple of years.” 😀 LOL! Whateva Pastor! 😀 LOL! Truth be told, he was right! We hadn’t seen a lot of corners in the house.  And so I continued to clear the clutter in my house until every corner in my house was free, (well almost 😉).  I made an agreement with myself to apply the one year rule.  If I hadn’t looked for it or seen it in a year, then I no longer needed it. Iit was going either to the mission or the trash. If clearing clutter can produce that type of effect on literally, imagine what we could do if we cleared the clutter from our minds. 

Mentally

Let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 2:5

Let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus.  Imagine the clutter that we hold in our minds.  Imagine how that can bog us down and keep us from being free spiritually.  I am amazed how people function with a cluttered mind.  They go to work or they go about their day with so much clutter and junk in their minds.  They carry past guilt and shame deep in the corners of their mind.  They carry hurt from friends and loved ones.  They are worrying about things that they either can change or maybe they can’t change. Having mental clutter is worse than having physical clutter.  Having things constantly weighing on your mind can hold you back from being a better you.  Feelings of inadequacy, (I’ve been there too) is nothing more that mental clutter.  Remember what God’s Word says about us. 

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalms 139:14


His Word declares that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalms 139:14) The International Standard Version translates that last portion of that scripture like this, “I am fully aware of it”.  Clear the clutter from you mind and walk in confidence and be fully aware that God has made you beautiful.  Regardless to how others have treated you in the past or even in the present, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Regardless of bad decisions, God yet loves you.  He created you to be wonderful and respected.  You were not created to hold on to any feelings of negativity, wrongdoings, maltreatment, guilt or any other clutter in your beautiful mind.  Free yourself from the clutter and make way for your deeper connection with God.

Join us for our next MOE moment as we discuss more about Removing Spiritual Clutter.

Blessings!

Lady Jae

References

Boyes, A. Ph.D. (2018, February, 12) “6 Benefits of an Uncluttered Space” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-practice/201802/6-benefits-uncluttered-space#:~:text=Decluttering%20creates%20a%20sense%20of,and%20X%20amount%20of%20stuff.