Simplify…Once and For All: What We Bring Into Our Homes {and Hearts}

Welcome to my new series…Simplify…Once and For All!  How many times have you promised to clear the clutter and just weeks later you find yourself buried in it again? Or you have vowed to keep your homeschool schedule simple, but next thing you know you are running out the door each day to  a commitment, and when the week is over you are wondering what happened to the lesson plans you had created for the week? Or how about making a meal plan for the week, only to discover three weeks after and it’s chicken nuggets for dinner again.  How does this happen? Lets’ journey together and simplify…once and for all!

Today I am focusing on physical clutter. Why do we fill up on so many material things? Are there certain areas where you tend to fill up more than others?  Is it home decor? Clothes? Shoes? Kids stuff? Collectables? Books?

The possibilites are endless for each person. So you must identify what things you are bringing in that are wants and not needs. If you make a list of needs vs. wants you will see that we need very little. I am not taking the minimalist approach (yet!) and saying to get rid of all wants. That would surely set us up for failure, just like a fad diet does for someone trying to lose weight.

What I am proposing is to change the way you are thinking about “stuff.” Is it really necessary? What benefit does it provide? Can we keep it to a minium?  For example if it is books, can you only bring in ones that are truly beneficial? Or clothes? Buying only what is needed for the season without overindulging?

Looking at material items in a Biblical perspective helps. Do we look at material items in light of what Jesus says about our treasures?

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21

Or what about storing up in barns?

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:14-21

Verse after verse in the Bible talks about our hearts  I don’t know that it is necessarily bad to have things, but when our hearts put those things above God is where the problem lies.

It is idolatry.

So today, identify idols that are hindering your desire to simplify. Look at the eternal perspective. Will this matter for eternity? Chances are it won’t, since nothing material short of the Bible will. So then look at what is the benefit of it here? Is it bringing God glory?  Is it honoring God? Is it causing you to stumble in your walk with God? Is it taking the place of your focus on God?

Really evaluate the physical stuff in your life and vow to look at things differently. Before you bring another item in the house, look at it from God’s eyes.

Examine your heart on these issues. That is where the true test lies..and that is where the key to simplifying lies.

Next time we will talk about purging the clutter….

How are you doing on your journey to simplify…once and for all?


Make sure to subscribe here, I will be posting at least once a week on this series. Don’t miss out-the posts can be delivered straight to your inbox! We will discuss practical ways to simplify, and getting to the heart of why we want to simplify!

Pass this along and share with friends-encourage each other to simply live…for Him! Also share in the comments or on the facebook page what YOU are doing to simplify once and for all!