This time of the year usually finds me and my family having a general cleaning of the house while on vacation. But I guess, this is also a good time to clean up the things that simply clutter my life and needs to be taken to the trash bin.
God knows that the past two years were a time of learning from major falls–getting bruised yet getting up again and again and again. Recovery takes a lifetime. So does renewal unless you no longer sin or never make mistakes again. But when there is a pattern of those mistakes that is simply is part of one’s behavior, the unlearning and the relearning need to go hand in hand.
For the spiritual life, that means the sorting out and cleaning up must have a purpose or other clutters will simply take up the empty space left. The heart in this instance has this very unique feature of needing something or Someone in its throne. Dethroning another only asks for a replacement–a better replacement or it will find another–any other if I will not be on guard.
The past year was a struggle between having a clean break and maintaining a pretense.
This year is a year that I will celebrate because Truth has saved me… and I am very grateful that Truth reminds me when I forget who I am in Him or begin to believe in the lies this world can hurl at me pointedly. Sometimes it takes only a little insecurity to give in to falsehoods than have faith in the inheritance God gives to me–His love and protection, His secure hope and grace–what else do I need?
Simplify.
Really, if I would be honest, a lot of the clutter is due to the fact that I accumulate things, events, schedules, workloads, praises…because I thought I was not good enough. But that is not the truth.
God loves me and is pleased with me. I am good enough because He made me so. Paul told the Ephesians what is truly necessary in this life
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
This is what I am making space for–that I may know more of God’s Love and then there is really nothing I would want more.
