This weekend I did a major closet purge. It feels so good to have space and easily shut the drawers, but it was also kind of hard. Saying goodbye to certain items was saying goodbye to a season of my life (I no longer need as much business casual). I was saying goodbye to other items with memories both good and hard. I was letting go of items which went with a season I didn’t choose to say goodbye to and held onto in the hopes of a return of that season.
I held on to clothing items much longer than needed, convincing myself there was no harm as long as there was space to store it. But I was finding that the chaos in the overflowing drawers and closet was causing me to feel overwhelmed at little tasks like getting dressed or putting away laundry. As I went through it all today, I also found clothing items I had forgotten that are perfect for this season but were hidden under seasons past or possible future seasons.
I was reflecting as well on how our mind can get overfilled and cluttered just like my closet. We can hold on to hurts or bitterness from disappointments of the past. Or a consuming thought of the way we hoped things would be at this point in life, or maybe even carrying thoughts and anxious anticipation in preparation of a possible future scenario. We may think these place-holders in our minds and our hearts don’t do any harm and seem to fit. But just as my chaotic dresser left me overwhelmed, distracted, even hiding items for the present, our thoughts and beliefs can get us stuck. They can leave us overwhelmed, partnering with disappointment or constant anxiety. They distract us from the present real people right in front of us. As we let go of things that may have even been helpful or necessary for a season, we find new space, rest in thoughts that empower us for today and hopeful future!
If you would like help in decluttering your mind from the survival mode of anxiety, sadness, anger, doubt and would instead like to find yourself in a place of security, peace, joy, compassion, and power, we have a couple powerful courses for you to join! One is called Purpose Journey which will be live in Burnsville on Thursday Nights and the other is Trust Repair via Zoom on Monday nights. Check them out and begin walking in freedom instead of survival mode! https://scottco.kingdomfoundations.org/courses/