"It is for freedom that Christ has set us
free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a
yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1 (NIV 1984)
My friend was desperate. I could hear it in
her voice as she talked about her disorganized house. She was disgusted.
Her husband was frustrated. Every day was a challenge to get the kids
ready, find clean socks and cook dinner.
The chaos in her home was affecting her emotionally. She felt like she was falling apart. Why couldn't she get it together? she wondered. After all, she was an intelligent, educated woman.
She was also embarrassed. So when I told her I'd love to come over and help, she put me off. It wasn't a bother at all,
I said. Second to finding a litter of kittens needing me to rescue
them, I love helping friends organize something. Eventually I wore her
down and we set a date.
Walking into her house that morning with a
cup of coffee for her in one hand and some boxes to sort things in the
other, I immediately realized organization wasn't her problem. Clutter
was. There was no point trying to organize anything. We needed to
uncover and reclaim her home.
She wasn't a hoarder. Life circumstances had
converged and overwhelmed her. Plus, the amount of visual mess was
draining her energy and causing confusion. She couldn't identify what to
keep and what to let go. And she was afraid to file anything in case
she couldn't find it later ... but that wasn't working either.
I could relate to my friend's situation. What
happened to her happens to most of us at some time. In fact, if she had
come by my house a few years before that, she would have seen a very
cluttered home. At the time, my husband and I had three little boys. We
were outnumbered and I couldn't keep up with everything.
I've discovered that in most loving and
lively homes, there is going to be a lot of clutter. It can be a sign of
activity, intelligence and curiosity. Books from the library, art
projects and magazines speak of minds and hearts that long to explore
and create. However, left untended, clutter becomes a prison. And that
is where my friend was. She just needed someone to come and help her get
out.
Together we were able to quickly sort through
stacks and piles. We discarded broken toys and dishes, recycled loads
of paper and identified what was important. We didn't get much
"organizing" done that day, but we sure did lighten her load -
physically and emotionally. That was just the jumpstart she needed to
continue bringing order to her home and life.
My friend did the right thing in sharing her
situation. By admitting she needed help, she was able to get unstuck.
The clutter had rendered her frozen in indecision, which is what happens
quickly. It becomes like a prison, affecting our schedules, finances,
homes and sometimes even our relationships. And that is far from the
life of freedom God desires for us.
Galatians 1:5
tells us that Christ came to set us free. Free from sin. Free from
legalism. Free from judgment. Basically, free from whatever holds us
back. Jesus frees us from all this so we are free to live a simple,
alert life. A lighter life. One where our minds are clearer, our focus
sharper, our priorities evident and lived-out. Truly it's a life of
freedom.
It may seem like a harmless pile of paper, or just
a stack of clothes needing mending. In reality every area of clutter in
our lives can be a link in a chain, holding us back from freedom. It
doesn't have to be that way. Will you join me today in embracing God's
gift of ordered and clutter-free life? I might not be able to bring you
coffee, but you've got my support.
Dear
Lord, thank You for Your freedom...freely offered in every area of my
life. Please show me areas of clutter I have, and ways to clean them up
to best serve You and those around me. In Jesus' Name, Amen. (Glynnis Whitwer)
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