It’s hard to believe…
It is hard to believe that we are already in 2019. Time has passed so quickly and now we have to get started writing a new year. Just about the time I am doing well at remembering the correct year to write the year it changes again.
Most people make some kind of New Years resolution or change that they hope to keep. It seems that it is not always easy to do. One of mine has been to exercise more regularly. Exercise is so important and the older I get the more I realize it. I know that when I regularly do cardiovascular and aerobic exercise, which I do by getting on my treadmill and lifting weights, I create more energy, have less pain, and get more done in a day. You may be thinking, “How can you get more done in the day?” It is really simple. If you feel better and your mind is clearer you can accomplish more in less time. It’s amazing.
Clutter
The other area that I wanted to work toward is to de-clutter my home. With me working part to full time and homeschooling, besides doing a home business and helping my husband with his businesses, things have gotten out of hand.
One of the excuses I have made for not exercising is that I can’t even get to my treadmill because stuff is in the way. So I took some time off of work to work on de-cluttering. Now that my kids are older there have been lots of things that I could take to a second-hand store or just put in the trash. So I have ended up with several boxes of second-hand items and several bags of garbage and I am not even done yet.
What I have learned through this whole process is that it would be easier if a person de-cluttered more often. Maybe make a commitment to do a little de-cluttering every day or once a week. It is less overwhelming when it is done a little at a time than waiting years and then doing it.
Our lives
It made me start to think about our spiritual lives. Do our spiritual lives ever get cluttered? I believe we do. And it is easy to keep ignoring it. But as we ignore it, it gets harder to actually make changes because it looks and feels too hard to do. And we also start to get comfortable with the clutter. But we don’t need to get discouraged or have it feel as if it is impossible.
As I have been de-cluttering areas of my house I have gotten some help here and there from my family but most of the work has been done by me. My daughter was going to help me and she did some but she ended up getting sick. So the main bulk of everything I de-cluttered was left to me.
God is our helper
But in our Christian walk, it is not the same, “Praise the Lord!” Although doing stuff ourselves may be hard but it seems easier and automatic. Humanly speaking we want to be in control so it is hard for us to let go and let God. But He is the One that does the bulk of the work if we allow Him, and we are just His helpers. So what is our part compared to His?
1. Be much in prayer.
We need to be in prayer each day. Asking God for forgiveness, cleansing, and for Him to fill our lives with His Holy Spirit. We need to ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth before picking up and studying God’s Word.
2. Study God’s Word
We need to be in the word everyday. As we are studying God’s Word He will show us areas in our lives that need to have a cleaning. The great news is that He does the cleaning as we cooperate with Him. Our job is to surrender each area of our lives to Him as He shows us.
3. Memorize His Word
We need to hide God’s Word in our hearts. If there is an area in our lives that we are struggling with we can find a verse that we can claim whenever we are tempted. Believe me, the devil is not going to leave you alone. But you can have peace in surrender.
Let God clean
When God shows you areas of your life that need cleaning surrender it to Him. Ask Him to take away the desire, claim His promises, and let Him work. One thing about God He is a thorough cleaner. We don’t have to worry about any area being left no matter how deep it is buried.
It is not easy to allow God to do the cleaning because that means we have to die to self. Self has to go. But God can even help us get rid of self as well.
Dear Father,
I want to surrender every area of my life to You starting out this new year. Give me the strength to allow You to work within my life. I do want to be clean so that I can be ready for Your soon coming.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Surrender all to God today and let Him thoroughly clean up your life.
Love you all.
Do you have a testimony about how God has helped you in the cleaning process? I would love to hear it. Write it below. Also, do you have a favorite promise that you cling to in time of temptation? Please share it.