Your Mental Clutter

Clutter... It's a word we hear a lot in the new year, and often in the springtime when people talk about "spring cleaning". Just the sound of the word, is cluttery...

I was thinking in church this morning about my office closet and i keep opening it and wanting to clean it out, but I have gone through so much of the keepsake boxes already, that I wasnt sure why i kept going back to same spot. Until I realized that I just wanted my brain to feel uncluttered. It was busy, full of life stuff, and I needed to just sit down and organize my thoughts. Journaling... is so good for that! It's like being ablt to dump all your negative crap, but no one gets to feel bad because you just needed to unload stuff.

So, to my journal and my Bible i went.

Back to this morning... mental clutter is affected dierctly by the "stuff" we have in our home, stored on our computers, on our phones, our cars, our memories, the events of the week, etc. And I know, there is so much going on in the news and the world that it is so easy to let ALL the stuff in, and then feel depressed, out of control, like you "need to breathe, there is so much, i can't fix anything, and how do I make it stop".. and the thoughts go spiraling down from there. Mental Clutter.

We were not meant to carry ALL of news and weight of the world on our shoulders. That's God's job. Our job is to let Him do His job while we take care of our "little corner" of the world.. While He helps us and guides us. ;)

So this is where my thoughts ended up.. There is a path through these thoughts...

When your home is cluttered, it shows that your mind has been and is busy.

And that time is being demanded of you. When our time is "full" of the days and weeks events and redirects, and life's "stuff" our mind doesn't get a break. It gets full.... then we end up with "mental clutter" because we have a hard time as humans letting go of emotions from the events and family things and "stuff" and it all builds up over time. Those emotions, if left unmonitored, can lead to serious breakdowns, depression, the lack of motivation, putting things away is just too hard, and you got it, clutter starts building up like weeds on a rainy day in Flordia. (Yup, you can almost watch them grow!)

You must take and make the time to control the clutter. To clean out the things you no longer need. Or things that have finished their purpose. I say TAKE.. because time will never stand still so you can clear off the counter from last months mail, or check emails from 3 months ago, or clear out your downloads folder on your computer, or put away 5 loads of laundry sitting on your sofa, etc, etc,.... You have to PAUSE the events going on... say NO to some activites, and MAKE the time to put away "stuff".

Now, while you are doing that... I want to mention something interesting... the "world" will say... in order to have peace, you must "empty your mind"... let you "heart" decide what to do, "do what feels right" etc.

When your mind is "empty" that is when satan will come in like a hurricane and steal your joy, your life, and interrupt your everything with thoughts that will not bring life and peace to you. So.. We have to "fill our minds" with God's words.. HIS words bring life!!

• Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
• Joshua 1:8 - "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
• Colossians 3:16 - "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
• Psalm 119:11 - "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
• Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

These verses emphasize that rather than emptying our minds (which leaves room for negative or harmful thoughts to enter), we should actively fill our minds with God's Word, His truth, and things that align with His character. And God wants us to have a fruitful, meaning a life that produces good "stuff" for you and your family. So...

Filing your mind with Gods words. His life. His live. His directions. Will keep the world clutter at a minimum. The Worlds clutter wants to derail, dismember and keep you so busy that you have no time to take care of your family. Your body. Your mental health. Your marriage. Your relationships. Your work.

Gods word is the peace and calm in the middle of the storm of lifes chaos. (Cause thats what it feels like most days.)

When your mind is able to have rest, then you can start "cleaning" out spaces a little at a time. Declutter your mind while decluttering your life space. A little at a time as the whole job is too overwhelming. You cannot do it all at once. It's not possible!

Whew.. that was a great brain dump.. but where do we begin? and what does all this mean?