#Decluttering – I and Thou Reflections

I and Thou: Decluttering The Soul Step 4 – Simplify and Prioritize

Winter layers begin to shed as the days of spring arrive. Leaves are raked to make room for the newness to unfold. Seedlings start to push through the dirt, and sprigs of life appear. Leaves turn green, and so does grass. The sun shines brighter, and the days are longer.

Today, we will explore ways to simplify and prioritize our spirituality.

Simplify and Prioritize

Identify Distractions

Spiritual clutter can hinder our intimacy with God. Like messy desk, a messy soul impedes focus and hinders our relationship with God.

What is distracting you from your spiritual walk? Is it social media? The busyness of life? Worldy pursuits?

Release Burdens

We often carry emotional baggage that hinders our closeness to God. We harbor ill-will. Bitterness, unforgiveness, guilt, shame, the list goes on. We can release these burdens by forgiving ourselves first. Then, we can forgive others. Remember that forgiving doesn’t necessarily mean forgetting or being a doormat. It means to forgive, as God commands. So, go ahead and release grudges and hurts. Let go of resentment and replace it with gratitude and grace. Detach from anything and anyone that hinders your spiritual journey.

Fellowship

Engage with others who have similar faith and belief systems. Join groups where you can be authentic and share what is in your heart. Make a point to have meaningful conversations with friends, family, and others. Fellowship provides encouragement and accountability. It’s like having God in your midst. More so than if you were not practicing your faith.

Easter is a time of forgiveness and redemption. It is time to reflect on the Cross.

Take time to reflect on God’s…
Love
Grace
Redemption

Use this season to turn toward God.

Image Credit: Decluttering An Overwhelming
Soul Tyler Speegle dot com

Decluttering the soul is an ongoing process. Be intentional, seek God’s guidance, and allow grace to transform you. You’ll experience a deeper connection with God as you simplify and prioritize.

Remember, be patient with yourself. As you align your thoughts with God’s truth, you’ll experience greater peace, clarity, and spiritual growth. In this season of renewal, may our hearts, minds, and words reflect the beauty of spring—a fresh start, growth, and the hope of resurrection.

#SpringCleaning #Decluttering #DeclutteringYourSoul #Simplify #Prioritize #Easter

I and Thou: Decluttering The Soul Step 3 – Clean Your Words

Fresh air.

Sunshine.

Spring flowers.

It’s time to renew our hearts, minds, and spirits. Our hearts contain our emotions, wants, and feelings. Our minds conceptualize thoughts and feelings, and our words express them.

Today, we will explore what and how we say words and the impact they have on the world.

Clean Your Words

Words. They can build you up or tear you down.

Recently, I attended a webinar on estrangement. The speaker highlighted how overwhelming experiences distort our narratives, often leading to blame. When hurt or overwhelmed, we instinctively seek someone to hold responsible. But here’s the twist: in that state of overwhelm, we miss crucial details and context, creating a distorted story. This distortion fuels exaggerated or minimized blame, resulting in multiplying misunderstandings.

The vicious cycle continues: clouded thinking, jumbled emotions, and a lack of clarity. We lose confidence and retreat inward. The antidote? Talking about our experiences with an empathetic listener. This opens space for our “distorted” story to become a “mature” story. One that is appreciated, acknowledged, and affirming of the truth.

Be Choosy With Your Words

Just as God spoke the universe into existence, our words shape our reality. If we choose life-giving words, we can encourage, affirm, and inspire others.

Encourage others.
Affirm their worth.
Inspire hope.

When we speak positive words, we create a more positive atmosphere around us. Instead of complaining or criticizing, find ways to uplift and inspire. Replace negatives with affirmations.

“I can do this!” Or “I’m learning!”

Be Mindful

Gossip, negativity, and complaining clutter our minds and our environment. They drain our energy and deplete us. Let’s try to be more mindful of what we say and how we say it.

Be Christ-like

Our words should reflect truth and love. How did Jesus speak? He spoke with kindness yet firmness, honestly yet with compassion. Let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no.

When we speak from a place of love, our words become the healing balm of Gilead. Love is our foundation. It is solid, like a rock.

Be Redemptive

Choosing affirming words is redemptive, not only to ourselves but to others. It is a powerful spiritual practice that involves intentionally selecting the words that come out of our mouths.

Appreciate
Acknowledge
Affirm

Speak what you desire into the universe. Say positive words aloud. Speak affirmations and declarations to yourself and to others. Watch how these words will change your life and the life around those you love.

“I am worthy.” “You are worthy.” “I am loved.” “You are loved.” “I am strong.” “You are strong.” “I can do anything.” “You can do anything.”

Let’s declutter our mouths by purging harmful words and replacing them with life-giving expressions. Go ahead and declare blessings over your life and the lives of others. Take a moment to reflect on your most recent conversations. Are you contributing positivity to those you talk to?

Remember our words have a ripple effect and they impact our own hearts and minds, as well as those around us. Choose words that align with your spiritual values, bringing light, love, and truth into our relationships and experiences.

With God, life’s “overwhelming” experiences can be less overwhelming when we meet God on our daily walk.

#SpringCleaning #SpiritualDecluttering #Decluttering #CleanYourWords #BeMindful

I and Thou: Decluttering The Soul Step 2 – Clean Your Mind

Spring is a great time of year for spring cleaning. We need to clean our minds as we open our windows and let the fresh air in. Do you agree? Our hearts represent our emotions, desires, and affections. On the other hand, our mind stores our thoughts, reasoning, and intellect. It processes information, analyzes, and forms beliefs.

In terms of regular clutter, most of us understand that too much clutter leads to disorganization. Like a desk, for example.

What does your desk look like? Is it messy, like mine used to be? Or is it neatly cleared from clutter? Are papers stored in files or loosely strewn all over? How about your stapler? Is it on the desk? Or in the drawer, out of sight?

If a messy desk can prevent you from focusing on the task at hand, think about what spiritual clutter will prevent you from doing.

So, go ahead, get the scrub brush out and…

Clean Your Mind

Hear the 4-Star General bellow a command?

“YOU. ARE. DISMISSED. RETURN TO YOUR BARRACKS.”

Then, a siren goes off. The loudspeaker echoes through the stillness of the night.

“TAKE COVER. ENEMY FIRE”

Wow! That would make me a bit worried! Then, how can you protect yourself?

Good question!

Acknowledge Your Mind is a Battleground

Your mind is a battleground where spiritual warfare takes place. Negative thoughts, doubts, and lies can clutter your thinking. These mental strongholds hinder spiritual growth.

Identify Your Struggles

Identify areas where you struggle. Fear, anxiety, insecurity. Recognize them as targets for decluttering. So you can bring every thought into alignment with God’s love.

Make Time For God

The mind is noisy. At least mine is, most of the time! It is constantly gathering and processing information. Yet, we must allow ourselves to be quiet. Stillness permits us to hear God. Spending time in God’s presence, meditating on His Word, and surrendering ourselves to God will transform our minds.

Say Goodbye To Toxic Thought Patterns

Ask God to reveal any toxic thought patterns. Pray for wisdom, discernment, and the courage to confront negative thinking.

Fear often originates in the mind, but it affects the heart. It paralyzes, steals peace, and hinders trust. Try to replace fear with trust. When fear-based thoughts arise, intentionally shift your focus. Remind yourself that God is faithful. Recall past instances where God showed up. Trust that God is with you even when you are uncertain. Declutter your mental space and align your thinking with God’s promises. Reading Psalms is a great place to start.

Change Your Viewing Habits

The mind consumes information. What we read, watch, and listen to. It also shapes our beliefs, whether we think that or not.

Be intentional about what you feed your mind.

Avoid toxic content such as news, harmful entertainment, and gossip. Instead, try uplifting, inspirational content. Fill your mind with God’s Word and positive influences.

Allow God to transform your mind. Romans 12:2 encourages us: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We can do this by reading, studying, praying, and reflecting.

Decluttering is an ongoing process. As you align your thoughts with God’s love, you’ll experience more peace, clarity, and spiritual growth.

#SpringCleaning #Decluttering #DeclutteringYourMind #MakeTimeForGod

I and Thou: Decluttering The Soul Step 1 – Clean Your Heart

Spring is a season of renewal, not only for your home but also for your spirit. As you dust off the winter cobwebs and declutter your living spaces, let’s take a moment to consider how you can apply the same principles to your inner lives. The next few posts discuss steps to spring-clean our hearts, minds, and words.

Today, we start with hearts.

Clean Your Heart

Just as you open your windows to let in fresh air, consider opening your heart to God. Let God breathe new life into it. Take Pentecost, for example. The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples. Picture this:

Rushing winds.

Tongues of fire.

Different languages.

Wow! That would make me take notice! Then, how do you go about cleaning and opening up your heart?

Start with Prayer

By praying daily, you open yourself to God. You can commune with a higher power. The One who created you and who lives inside each of us. Some of us may say, but I pray, and God doesn’t hear me. Is that true? First, ask if you have accepted God. Accepting God is the first step. Acknowledging God as the Divine Creator is a great place to start. If you have questions, be bold. Ask God to reveal the power of his love and grace to you.

Then, listen.

Go to a quiet space and ask God to join you for a conversation. Once you have established a pattern of spiritual intimacy with God, keep the pattern going with prayer, worship, and meditation. It doesn’t require hours and hours. Just a few minutes each day will be impactful.

Ask for a Scrub Brush

If you have become complacent in your faith, ask God to scrub your heart. God will brush away all the bad stuff. You just have to ask! Then, God can reignite your heart with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Still Unsure?

Look at creation. Nature. The intricate design of a flower. The vastness of the night sky. If you are still unsure, read stories of transformed lives. Testimonies of faith, if you will. There are hundreds, if not thousands, on YouTube.

Be open to what spiritual gifts you have.
Be open and eager to consider opportunities that God presents.
Allow the Spirit to empower you for service and ministry.

Have Faith

By examining your priorities, you can rekindle your passion for God. Like the church in Ephesus, return to a new zest for life. Like a new creature!

You can become stronger in your faith. Remember, you only need faith the size of a mustard seed.

May your heart burn brightly with divine love, purpose, and a hunger for God’s presence.

#SpringCleaning #SpiritualDecluttering #Decluttering #CleanYourHeart