Moving Stuff

Moving stuff

Last week I talked about starting over and how starting over for me was this fresh new opportunity that was unexpected that God has given me in Indiana. Part of that means I have to MOVE again, and believe me there is no shortage of people (including myself) who have made fun of me for moving so much the past few years.

It is amazing to me the amount of "stuff" we accumulate over the years, you don't really realize it if you stay at the same address for a long time, but if you move a couple times, you realize as you start boxing up stuff, that sometimes we hold on to way too much stuff and become pack rats, when we should be becoming a flea market/yard sale dream for someone.

I got rid of most of my stuff this past year and though now I am moving, I wish I had some of that stuff back, having less stuff to move is sort of a blessing, though I have to start all over and rely on other people to provide me with some of their "stuff" they are not using or wanting to get rid of.

It made me think of the way we carry around "stuff" with us through life experiences and we accumulate stuff that we refuse to get rid of or don't realize we've been keeping until we are confronted with it and all the sudden and we've got so much baggage. We are carrying around unforigveness, sin, struggle, bad memories, or raw emotions. Maybe we've gotten stuff we've been afraid to deal with, have been avoiding, or thought we were over? Maybe some past mistakes we've had a hard time forgetting, or something from our past we are holding onto that we know is not good for us or is harmful to us, or we can't get back?

Our emotional hearts are filled like dusty attics and dirty basements and crammed storage units with box, totes, bags, and clutter of stuff we won't get rid or, or are afraid to. I saw a women on Oprah(I know I watched oprah), who had like 5 or 6 storage units not to mention her house full of stuff, she refused to get rid or, not only stuff she'd collected, but alot of stuff from her parents who had died, she didn't want to face their leaving, and it was absolutely mostly junk(a rubber chicken, a broken lamp, old bills, etc) stuff that wasn't even sentimental. Does that sound like you?

We could be so much lighter, less cluttered, more free, fresher, and ready to start over if we'd get rid of stuff from our past, our hearts ,minds, and lives that is unhealthy, doesnt' really matter, or is keeping us weighed down. Maybe it's time we forgive someone or ourselves? Maybe it's time we let go or something or someone? Maybe it's time we make new memories or new relationships? Maybe it's time we refocus on Jesus and allow Him through His Spirit to reinforce truths, wisdom, knowledge, and love into our lives.

We could see Jesus so much easier and more often if we'd free up some room for Him, instead of letting our lives get cluttered up with yard sale trinkets, flea market specials, and city dump material.

"Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom"
II Corinthians 3:17(NIV)