Clutter

Welcome to my life.

It's a life cluttered with so many things that have simply clung to me as I've walked through my days.

The mental clutter is the worse, but along with it I find we have cluttered our lives with things.  Things we long ago stopped using, but they are still here depending on us to care for them.

I long for a drive to the dump where I can simply leave all the clutter of my mind,

my life,

and my possessions.

Sadly, the things that clutter my life have taken possession of me!

Having this car or that computer or this house defines me to others, but all it is really is just clutter that keep my focus on this world and not on God.

I know people around me who are hoarders.  Their houses are so full of things, of clutter times ten, that clutter now owns them. They can't live without it.

To be able to let go of all of this, all the things that keep me from God, from knowing him, obeying him, from letting him work in my life, is becoming an obsession.

The question we are working on now is, "why do we have this? do we need it? could we live without it?"

I remember, years ago, reading Philip Yancey's words as he described going to a monastic retreat.  The monk took  him to a sparse room with a bed, chair and small table.  As he left him the monk said, "If there is anything you need let us know and we will teach you how to live without it."

May this be my passion...only Christ!  The rest is just clutter.