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Photo by Eileen Koff |
“Divine Organization” Part 2
By
Eileen Koff
Welcome
back to part 2 of “Divine Organization”. As I said in my previous article, our
world is obsessed with TV shows like Hoarders and Clean House. And given the
myriad of organizing books out there, I’m always left wondering why anyone
would have a hard time figuring out how to get organized. There are a million and one reasons why
people can’t deal with the overload in their lives, be it stuff, activities, or
the mental perception of time; as my clients put it, “cluttered brains equal
cluttered rooms.” So let me raise the question: Is clutter really a faith
issue? Does God have anything to tell us how to finally–once and for all–deal
with our internal and external clutter?
After
more than a decade as a professional organizer, I have found that both kinds of
clutter create distance between those closest to you and your relationship with
God. As Christians, we know that God desires a day-to-day intimacy with us. So
yes, your clutter could be the obstacle that keeps you from the abundant life
God has already provided. Luke 10:27 reminds
us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength and with all your mind” and to “love your neighbor as
yourself.” However, a disorganized
lifestyle suffocates existing relationships, while clutter has a way of
isolating us from building new ones.
Many
miss the blessings of fellowship simply because of the embarrassment a cluttered
home evokes. Worse, a disorganized life
can put God at a distance. Because of the many distractions that clutter
creates, we are tempted to love and treasure things rather than God. And as clutter
suffocates our spaces, it also prevents God from releasing blessings into our
lives. In other words, a clutter-filled home erects a wall between God and us. If
the sum of all laws is rolled into Luke 10:27, then we must take to heart the
importance of maintaining and creating healthy relationships. I believe this so
strongly that my ministry tag line reads “Blessings, not stuff!”
In
my book Organize…His Way, I outline
five reasons why it is imperative that we as Christians live an orderly life.
The second reason is your ability to hear God. Ever walk into a room and hear
it screaming at you? John 8:47 states, “he who is of God hears God’s words.” But
though hearing from God is paramount to your progress as a Christian, clutter
can shout over every attempt to hear His still small voice. It is difficult to
still the mind and hear God under ordinary circumstances; it is next to impossible
when stuff is competing for your attention. Many of my clients say that when
there is too much clutter in a given space, it creates “visual noise.” I can
promise you with 100% certainty, that when you pray in a clutter-free
environment, your ability to hear God’s still small voice will astound you!
In
our struggle to free ourselves from the entangling net of clutter, we may lose
sight of another important factor; it’s not about us. Above all, Jesus demands
that we love Him more than anyone or anything—that we follow Him, trust him,
enjoy Him, be satisfied in Him, delight in Him and obey Him. So while the world
screams for us to take on ever more stuff and activities, I pray that we can
all take a lesson from John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Our greatest joy in life is walking out the
purposes that God has laid out for each of us.
I
pray His mighty blessings for you this summer, that you may begin to hear His
voice and foster a deep and meaning relationship in your new-found clutter-free
mind and space.
Give Yourself the Gift of Order
Eileen Koff CPO®
To The Next Level
631.553.0068
Author - Organize...His Way -- available Spring 2013
2013 NAPO LA Award - " Best Green
Service"
Organizing is NOT about the stuff....it's
about priorities. It's living your BEST life now, preserving your memories, and
creating space for your
future.
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