A few days ago there was a FaceBook post going around about a 40 Day Challenge to declutter during the 40 Days of Lent instead of giving up chocolate or whatever else you might be inclined to give up. The idea rings true to me because I really need to take care of some areas of clutter in my life.
Clutter can be defined as an obligation without a commitment; something you know you have to do but just have not committed to doing it yet. Something that is hanging over your head that makes you feel guilty when you think about it because you haven’t done it. When I look at it that way, I realize I have a lot of clutter beyond the stack of mail on the laundry room counter, my messy sock drawer, or the boxes of stuff accumulating in my storage area. I have calls to make for my business and visits with family just waiting to be attended to. We create clutter around money in our lives, too. Think unpaid or uncollected bills, unfiled receipts, or even unreturned lunches with friends.
God calls us to be the best version of ourselves. That means stepping up and doing things that aren’t fun or are uncomfortable sometimes. He wants beautiful things for us, but we can’t open ourselves up for the amazing new things He has in store for us until we let go of the old things that are cluttering our lives. Think about how when you buy a new couch, you can’t move the pretty new one in until the old worn one gets carried out.
That is why I love this 40 Day Challenge so much. The initial idea is to clear 40 bags (no matter what size) from your home in 40 days, but I encourage you to look at it deeper than just getting rid of things. Pick up the phone and call that friend you said hurtful things to the last time you were together and just say I’m sorry. Contact the person who owes you that $100 and work out a plan for them to get you repaid so you can get on with your relationship. Finally, tackle that stack of magazines in the corner and donate some of the newer ones you will never read to a nonprofit or doctor’s office who can use them.
If you take just 15 minutes a day and work on just one small item of clutter in your home, your finances, or your relationships, think how awesome you will feel on Easter morning. Not only will we celebrate our Risen Lord, but we will celebrate our new life ready for all the good things to come. And…you can eat chocolate along the way! I can’t wait. Blessings to you on your Lenten Journey.
