By RaeLynn DeAngelis
A spirit of heaviness settled over me when we returned to our home in Indiana after being away all winter. It was a feeling I couldn’t quite shake or identify. Gerry felt it too.
It had been the first time we wintered in Florida, so I wondered, was it the fact that we were no longer surrounded by warm sunshine and palm trees? Sunshine can certainly impact one’s mood. I even experienced a notable change in my disposition during the 14-hour car ride. Growing discontentment seemed to mirror the changing scenery outside the car window as vibrant colors morphed into shades of gray.
After we got home, the feeling intensified. A few days later, I finally realized what was bothering me. Actually, Gerry identified it for us both when he announced, “We have too much stuff in this house. We need to start eliminating things we no longer need.”
He was right! Our life in Florida was much more simplified and uncomplicated. A lot of it had to do with the fact that we didn’t have as many belongings there. All at once I realized; having less stuff to manage all those months in Florida gave us both a feeling of peace and freedom.
I started asking myself. Why are we hanging on to all this stuff; what value does it bring?
Many go through life collecting items here and there, never realizing that their possessions could one day bring them stress. According to God’s Word, having too many possessions could even direct our focus away from God. Having too much—becomes too much to manage. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and destroy. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).
Honestly, it felt good to have a few barren shelves, empty drawers, and blank walls in Florida. Everything there had a purpose and was being used. Not so in Indiana. Here, we have accumulated way too much over our 38 years of marriage. We have things stored away on shelves, stuffed in boxes, and stacked in corners of the basement and garage that we haven’t used (or even looked at) in years.
It’s actually sickening when you stop and think about it. If we died today, our kids would be left with the burden of getting rid of all this stuff. The thought alone is motivation to purge things now, while we are healthy enough to do it.
Gerry and I made a pact. If it’s not something we need, use, or enjoy at least once a year, we need to toss it out. It may take some time, but I’m confident, it will be worth it in the end. Even just the commitment to purge makes me feel less burdened. With each trip to Goodwill, I feel lighter.
What about you? Are you heavy-laden by too much stuff? Perhaps like us you realize it’s time to simplify and pair things down. Start with one drawer. Then another and another. Move on to a cabinet, cupboard, or closet. Decluttering one space at a time will keep you from feeling too overwhelmed. With each decluttered space you will feel lighter and freer. Lightening the load is not just a good thing; it’s a God thing.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: …a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,6).
“… but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19).
Lord, thank you for waking me up to more and more of your truth that sets me free. Give me wisdom and discernment to determine what to keep, what to pass along, and what to throw away. And always help me to remember, above everything else, all I really need is you. Amen
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