Debris and Clutter

People driving by or up our driveway may think, how picturesque because of the lovely house on pine tree-filled, meticulously kept property, unless their trip was the day after high winds and pouring rain scattered branches and pinecones everywhere. But so it is after storms. Cleanup afterward is a choice and delays only compound the work later to keep the lawn looking nice.

People walking into our kitchen for the first time may think, how charming. It is small, with ceiling-high cabinetry, but tall cabinets mean high shelves, so I store the contents in bins. My problem is the high, narrow, deep pantry; not everything fits in a container, and the unit is often in disarray as items get pushed out of reach. Reorganization is a choice; delays only compound the work later. No one would know about my dilemma unless they opened the door.

God made us wonderfully complex (Ps 139:14a). His creations are without flaws, but our life choices make His designs imperfect. Sometimes storms blow through our lives, leaving debris. Sometimes we take on more than we can handle, and life gets cluttered and overloaded. Other times circumstances overwhelm us, and we put off doing what we must do, and the chaos builds. Keeping our spiritual life clutter-free is a choice. Whether your life's mess-ups are visible or behind closed doors, they will not, they cannot, put themselves in order. Don't stubbornly ignore God's warning when you hear Him whisper cleanup is needed; don't let anything disrupt your relationship with Him: "Search me O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Ps 139:23–24). God forgives and cleanses the messiest places, but we must do our part: confess to Him our mess (sins), repent, and turn from them to Him. Receive God's forgiveness, walk with Him, and strive to live debris and clutter-free.