Decluttering the SoulParaugs

A Lifestyle of Decluttering

At the beginning of my purging journey, I would set aside a big chunk of time for decluttering and attack a specific area, like a closet or drawer. The accumulation of stuff over many years was overwhelming. Even though I have now sorted through every area in my home, I still have not finished. 

One of the secrets that made my year of decluttering so successful was committing to making it a habit. Decluttering the house is not a one and done process, because new items are constantly entering our home, and each one must be dealt with. In spreading my goal out over a year and consistently clearing things away, I created a habit of decluttering. Over time I developed a new lens through which I view everything. It is like having a decluttering app that is constantly running in the back of my brain. 

I keep a donation bag hanging in the coat closet, where it is easily accessible. Anytime I come across an item that makes me ask, “Why do I have this?,” it is easy to drop it into the bag and move on with my day. When I try on an outfit in the morning and realize that I don’t like the way it fits me, rather than putting it back in the closet to deal with later, I immediately bring it to the bag, and it is done. Instead of setting aside a time specifically for decluttering, getting rid of things is now part of my rhythm and routine. 

This same principle applies to our personal spiritual practices. Whether it is praying, spending time in God’s Word, or identifying and confessing sinful behaviors, we can learn to incorporate the lens of Christ in our daily lifestyle. Instead of confining our prayer time to a few minutes in the morning, we can learn to pray without ceasing. When we feel the twinge of conviction, we can stuff it down to deal with later, or immediately make it right. When faced with a painful situation, we can first try to come up with the answers on our own, or we can turn to God and ask, “What should I do with this?” 

Slowly over time, our perspective shifts. Each time we listen to God’s still small voice, it becomes louder and clearer in our lives. When we deal with the clutter in our souls the moment we see it, it prevents us from becoming overwhelmed by a giant mess later.

Pray

Father, thank you for giving me access to you at all times. Help me to deal with sin immediately, to pray unceasingly, and to seek your direction in even the smallest decisions. Help me create the habit of having the perspective of Christ active in my mind at every moment.

Reflect

How can I turn my relationship with Christ into a moment-by-moment lifestyle?