Clearing Out the Clutter

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to accumulate things and how difficult it can be to let them go? Lately, I have been going through closets and classrooms at First United Methodist Church of Whitesboro, sorting through years of accumulated stuff. One thing I have noticed is the amount of old technology we have stored away. It seems that whenever we upgraded something, we brought in the new equipment but never got rid of the old. Now, we have closets and rooms filled with things we can no longer use and/or probably never will use again.

The problem is that all that old stuff takes up valuable space. It keeps us from using those rooms for other purposes, and it sometimes makes it harder to find the things we actually need. What was once useful has become clutter.  As I have worked through these spaces, I have been reminded that we can accumulate clutter in our spiritual lives, too.

In Hebrews 12:1, we are encouraged to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” The writer compares the life of faith to running a race, reminding us that we need to lay aside anything that keeps us from running well. We are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, who shows us what faithfulness looks like.

Notice that the writer tells us to throw off everything that hinders. That includes sin, but it may also include things that are not necessarily sinful in themselves. Sometimes the things cluttering our lives are simply things that no longer serve a useful purpose.

We can fill our schedules with so many activities that we have little time left for God or for the people around us. We can hold on to old grudges, disappointments, and resentments that keep us from loving others as Christ calls us to love. We can become so attached to familiar routines, old expectations, and the way things have always been done that we have little room for what God might be doing next. Not everything we carry is something God has asked us to carry.

As Christians, our mission is to love God and love other people. Jesus reminds us that these are the greatest commandments. So perhaps one question we should regularly ask ourselves is this: Is what I am holding on to helping me love God and love others, or is it simply taking up space? Sometimes we need to clear out the clutter so we can make room for what matters most.

At FUMC Whitesboro, we cannot fully use a classroom for ministry if it is filled with junk, equipment, or technology we will never use. In the same way, we cannot fully embrace the opportunities God places before us if we allow our lives to be crowded with things that distract us from our calling.

This does not mean we should discard everything from our past. There is wisdom in remembering where we have been, honoring those who came before us, and preserving the things that continue to serve a purpose. But we must also be willing to recognize when something has outlived its usefulness. Sometimes faithfulness means letting go.

Hebrews 12 reminds us that we are running a race, and we cannot run it well if we insist on carrying everything we have accumulated along the way. We must lay aside what hinders us and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Perhaps this is a good time to take an inventory of our lives. What are we holding on to that no longer serves our mission? What habits, attitudes, commitments, or hurts are taking up space that could be devoted to loving God and serving others?

Clearing out the clutter is not just about making a room look better. It is about making room for something better to happen. May God give us the wisdom to know what we need to keep, the courage to let go of what hinders us, and the faith to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we run the race set before us.

In God's grip,

Pastor Chuck Church

Prayer: Gracious God, help us recognize the clutter we have accumulated in our lives. Show us what we need to release so that we can follow you more faithfully. Free us from the habits, distractions, and burdens that keep us from loving you and loving our neighbors. Help us make room for your work in our hearts, our homes, and our church. Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and guide us as we run the race you have set before us. Amen.