If you haven’t logged into your Netflix account to learn how to “tidy up” then, you are one of the few. I’ve been glued to the professional, decluttering/organizing methods and have purged so much of my house because of it.
As I was buying bins to fit in dresser drawers, and finding excitement in folding clothes a new way, I began to think – what if we followed this method in every part of life? Obviously, we can’t compartmentalize everything into dollar tree bins, but can we not process everything through the filter of “does this bring me joy?” or better yet – “does this bring HIM joy?”.
A New year brings so many hopes of finally doing it a way that works, or new processes, organization and finally “getting it together”. Organizations have planning meetings to set the calendar for the year and families determine vacation destinations so savings can begin. IT’s when we set goals we’ve been wanting to accomplish and when we make excited movement toward them. As we do this, just as Marie Kondo does with toys, clothes, kitchen appliances, etc. - let us filter it. As she asks the question: does this spark joy? I wonder if we could filter our plans through God’s word – specifically through Pillippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
As my big girl turns 4 soon, she is much more curious about the world around her, and the simple redirection of things we’re not ready for her to know about yet doesn’t always suffice. She wants to know why she can’t watch that, or why she can’t say that word, why it isn’t “good”, and all of those answers come from this verse. As we are teaching her to filter the world she is in, to filter the things we let into our minds and hearts – we are bringing her back to the word of God and teaching her that God wants us to think on things that are lovely, honorable, and true. It’s a process of explanation to a learning mind, but one I think we often forget along the way.
If every plan was filtered through this standard, if every conversation and confrontation first had to come into this agreement, if every thought was held captive until passed through this filter – how much more joy would our life be full of? Instead of all the things we let in, instead of all the clutter of discouragement, failure, temptation, anger, and resentment, we would now be making forward stride in places of healing, joy and victory.
This isn’t to say, that life would be perfect, but it is to say that this filter of perspective allows joy to remain when the ever-changing winds of life rush all around us.
So, as I go through another closet today with boxes, trash bags and bins, I will be reassessing other areas of my life and “closets” of tucked away dreams, emotions and plans. Maybe today will be the day that I filter those too and get rid of all the things that don’t spark joy. Here’s to a clutter-free start to a clutter free year, and more of the things that bring Him joy!
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