Seasons of Clutter: a time to gain, a time to lose

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:6
A time to gain, And a time to lose; 
A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

We tend to associate “gain” with accumulating things. We accumulate wealth in either possessions or money. In a world where anything you can imagine is just a click and two-day delivery away, we can accumulate things faster than ever before. But we are not called to consumerism; rather, we are called to be content.

1 Timothy 6:6-7
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Contentment is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.” 

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The “American Dream” is built on bigger, newer, better. We are surrounded by marketing that promises our lives would be better, our homes would be cleaner, and our kids would be happier if only we would buy their product. We are bombarded with entertainment and advertisements that prey on our feelings of inadequacy. Of course, we want the latest and greatest! We enjoy new things because we are wired that way: novelty generates dopamine. Desiring new things is not a bad thing, but it tends to lead us to jealousy when someone else gets something newer, better, bigger, etc. We feel the inadequacy creeping in. 

Hebrews 13:5
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.

Being content with the things we have seems simple enough, but in order to be content, we must first stop the comparisons. 

Mary Sue may have it all together. She may be able to run a business, bake bread every day, and homeschool her five kids while you are trying to make ends meet at a nine-to-five and only have time for microwave dinners. She may also have her mother-in-law nagging her to get her kids into a decent education program while you are living a life happily single. Everyone has a different story – and yours is no less valuable than hers (or vice versa!). 

Remember that social media shows a highlight reel. You cannot compare your day-to-day with someone else’s highlights and expect to live up to that.

Beyond that, you are likely in a different season of life. Some seasons of life are busier than others. If you have young kids, you can expect to be busy most of the time. That may mean you need to take something off your plate at church or adjust your schedule. Each season of life brings its own challenges and needs. Do not compare yourself with someone in a different season of life.

You may be in a time of gain. God brings blessings into our lives in many forms, including material possessions. However, we must put them in their proper place, realizing that we cannot value our things over our own peace. Rather than pursue material goods, we must learn to be content with our own lives so that we can truly rejoice with others in their due seasons. 

While I was overwhelmed with “stuff,” my focus was on maintenance. I had to spend my time, effort, and energy maintaining those things. I was barely keeping my head above water, trying not to drown in the flood of daily responsibilities. 

It took an act of God to break me of my clutter habits – and He is still working on me!

I have always been a “terrible housekeeper” – by that, I mean there were usually dishes in the sink, a pile of laundry on the bed (and maybe in the hamper, too), and toys scattered around the living room 24/7. It was not a great way to live. Before I began decluttering my house, I needed at least a day, preferably a week, notice before I had visitors. I felt I had to apologize when people walked in, and that was after spending a couple of hours trying to piece my house together so I didn’t look like the slob I felt I was. 

Everything changed in January 2023. My husband was diagnosed with Grave’s disease the day before Christmas Eve. Living with a chronic illness is no picnic, and there was a lot of adjusting to accommodate his constant fatigue, diet changes, and figuring out a “new normal.” I was having to pick up the slack around the house to keep everything running while expecting our second child, wrangling a toddler and maintaining a part-time job. I felt like I was drowning. I was depressed, anxious, and grieving because I felt like my life would now forever be consumed by everything around me. I would have no time to myself, the household chores would all fall to me, and I would barely keep my sanity. I was still barely holding on – I felt isolated. It was the most hopeless I have ever felt in my life. 

While watching a video on YouTube, someone said, “Did you know that you don’t need all this stuff?”

I looked around my cluttered office, and had an epiphany: I was already inspired to declutter. I had already started. I was already clearing out the office to convert it into a nursery; I was getting rid of clothes I was saving for losing my post-baby weight; I was already grieving the unfinished, probably-never-gonna-happen projects. I had become frustrated with myself for constantly telling my son, “I can’t play right now. Mommy has to clean.”

Within two weeks, I had 10 large boxes of “stuff” to be put into the family garage sale. I had several more that I just took to Goodwill to get out of my house. Every week following, I had more boxes to leave my house. I was finally able to invite people to my house without feeling embarrassed. Even if it’s not perfect, I feel better knowing that it will only take me a handful of minutes to make the living spaces presentable.

Through decluttering my home, I gained so much more than I lost: peace of mind, time with my kids, the mental and physical capacity to minister to people. The immediate benefits were obvious: my home was cleaner and I had more time to spend with my family. However, the greatest benefit was contentment. 

Application

• Have you caught yourself making comparisons lately?
  • Pray:

Lord, help me to see myself as you see me. Help me to understand the season I am in. Help me to be content with my situation and show myself grateful for all You have given me. Please give me grace as I become who You desire me to be.

• What are some of the greatest material blessings God has given you?
• What are some things you could be content without?