‘Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.’ Psalms 34:14(NLT)
‘Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”’ Matthew 11:28-30(NLT)
‘what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?’ Psalms 8:4(NLT)
‘Lord , you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you.’ Isaiah 26:12(NLT)
‘May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. ‘ Galatians 1:3(NLT)
I looked around my house and there were piles in every room. So I made a plan to bust the clutter that had built up in my house. During the past month, jam-packed weekends and busy evenings left my family at home for just enough time to make messes, but no time to clean up afterwards.
I took a deep breath, rolled up my sleeves, and armed myself with cleaning spray and paper towels. I started in the kitchen—where I knew I had a breakfast bar somewhere under the piles of mail and school papers. I gathered everything— every last paper, bill, toy. and straggling nail polish bottle—and plopped them down in the back playroom. With the clutter out of sight, I then concentrated on scrubbing everything down until it sparkled.
It took hours, but I went from room to room, repeating that same exercise and making the visible area of my home as neat as a pin. My house hadn’t looked this great in what seemed like ages.
But the heaps of “miscellaneous” grew, along with toys that were already there.
Our heart and mind can fill with clutter, too. We bury deeply hurt feelings, jealousy, anger, or perhaps actions done in secret such as an affair, abuse, or an abortion in the hidden places.
We are cool and collected, with our perfect makeup and coordinated outfit. But, our inner wounds keep us in bondage up like a cluttered room that’s still there, harboring the hurt. We keep it to ourselves, however in the meantime it impacts our lives emotionally, mentally, and physically. Truth is, God is patiently waiting for us to give our struggles over to Him. He never judges and always heals. Most of all, He guarantees the resolution and peace you seek.
Jesus never asks you to have it all together. He says to come just as you are…hurting, disappointed, overwhelmed, and cluttered with the stuff of life. Speak God’s words of peace and confess your “clutter” to Him. Find a trustworthy friend and tell them about the challenges you face, pray over it together, and bring your clutter into the light. Then you will discover HIS peace that surpasses our understanding— even in the midst of your chaos. God will meet you in your clutter. I promise you. But even more—He promises you peace.
Lori Clapper
from The Peace Habit by Janelle Keith & Lori Clapper