Decluttering our spiritual lives

“Don’t keep hoarding for yourselves earthly treasures that can be stolen by thieves. Material wealth eventually rusts, decays, and loses its value. Instead, stockpile heavenly treasures for yourselves that cannot be stolen and will never rust, decay, or lose their value. For your heart will always pursue what you value as your treasure." - Matthew 6:19‭-‬21 I remember the time when we were renovating the house. Nothing makes you want to throw out old and useless stuff like renovations. I realized that we had been holding onto clothes and items that no longer served us any purpose and it was time for them to go. It's the same cycle that happens everytime I go grocery shopping. When I'm packing supplies for the month, I realise I have food that has expired, food that I bought and I didn't eat and a few empty packets and containers. I start offloading the old to make way for the new. It's so interesting how we quickly attach to stuff and we find it difficult to let them go because they have some hold over us. The same is true with our spiritual lives. How many times have we held onto stuff that is serving us no good - unforgiveness, bad habits, impatience with my husband, jealousy toward a friend—it all clutters up my spiritual life and keeps me from focusing on the blessings God has for me now. If I am busy holding on to all of my stuff, then I am not looking at the glorious and free present and future God has for me. What can build up in our hearts that is so damaging to our lives? Well, women can tend to be savers. We are so sentimental. We save cards, notes, letters, movie tickets, newspaper clippings and recipes. But, we can also hold on to hurts, anger, resentments, negative words and memories of negative episodes in our lives. We remember something our husband did or said on our honeymoon (15 years ago!) or the betrayal by a friend in primary school. We take these things out from yesterday and examine them closely, remembering how they hurt and experiencing more pain from them today. We remember failures too. Our own failures are etched in stone, along with our husband's failures, which we often build a shrine to, keeping them alive forever. We remember mistakes our children have made and can label our children based on these mess-ups. Jesus talks about decluttering in Luke 5: 36 - 39. And he gave them this illustration: “No one rips up a new garment to make patches for an old, worn-out one. If you tear up the new to make a patch for the old, it will not match the old garment. And who pours new wine into an old wineskin? If someone did, the old wineskin would burst and the new wine would be lost. New wine must always be poured into new wineskins. Yet you say, ‘The old ways are better,’ and you refuse to even taste the new that I bring.”

Constantly referring to past hurts, pains and disappointments is like ripping a new garment to fix an old garment. Let it go and clear up your heart for a fresh season. For new wine. Hillsong puts it beautifully in their song New Wine: Cause where there is new wine There is new power There is new freedom And the kingdom is here I lay down my old flames To carry Your new fire today Jesus bring new wine out of me Everytime I see something taking my focus I should ask, "Is it worth it? Is there treasure there? Is it really necessary?". Jesus says our hearts will always pursue what we value as our treasure. May that which we value as our treasure be heavenly. May we begin to value our faith more than the physical assets that we have. May we begin to value our time with God more than catching up on social media. May we begin to value the lost souls more than our 'feel good' experience of church. See decluttering your spiritual life is about replacing what you think is necessary and needful with what you know is of importance to your spirit man. This is the clutter in our lives that affects our spirit and dulls us to the work and voice of the Holy Spirit. It's about prioritizing your relationship with God. That will mean saying no to the pressures within and the pressures around you. Whenever I find myself hooked up on Netflix and social media a lot, I know it's time to declutter. I start off with minimizing the time I spend on social media and cut out Netflix. I then join a devotional or a Bible Study plan. That helps me to get the rhythm going and before I know it my spirit man is more alert and more in tune. Worship songs also help free up my inner man and direct my focus to God. Fasting and prayer are a good way to identify spiritual clutter that you need to remove and renewing your spirit is a good way to get rid of it. Its about doing everything necessary to maintain that environment that allows God to minister to us. This is my prayer today, "Lord, show me what it is that is hidden, which You desire for me to discard, so that I can be out in the open, sharing with all." Once you get rid of all the negativity in your heart, there is a big empty space. Fill this space with the joy of the Lord. Focus on all that He has done for you! Focus on how amazing it is to belong to Jesus! Focus on the beautiful family that God has blessed you with, thanking God every day for the privilege of creating a home for them.

Remember, "Rubbish is not just physical stuff. It's old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits. It's anything that does not support your better self. Clean it out and make room for your next level." Let's live clutter-free! #ExcellenceOfWomanhood #UnwrapAndEmpower