Written By: Mary Martinez
Our family lives in a beautifully remodeled 1920’s home. I’ve always loved the character of older homes, and when I saw this one on the market, my heart skipped a beat. Typically one of the drawbacks of living in an older home is that the closet space is limited; people during this era didn’t have all the “stuff” that we have today. Surprisingly though, this house has large closets in each room, which is one of the reasons why we chose to purchase it. Despite having all this storage space, I find it challenging to keep my house, especially all the storage space organized. With three young children and a husband that works away for extended amounts of time, the things in our home can get out of hand in a flash. I’ll open a closet or cupboard and think to myself, “Didn’t I just organize this?! How is it a mess again?”
Recently I opened the door to my closet, and my son peered in and said, “Mom, you need to clean in here; it is a mess!” He was right! I had been intending on addressing the disorganization in my closet for a while but had put it off. Things had piled up so much that you could barely walk into my “walk-in closet.” I couldn’t hide the mess any longer; it had to be addressed. I made a plan, and with a little time and hard work, I was able to get the space back into order. It wasn’t easy, but afterward, it felt so good to have it clean and organized again.
While I was going through my mess, I started to think about how life, just like my closet, can become quite messy. Problems, stressors, and “to-dos” can quickly pile up, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. I know I’ve had moments when I have just wanted to run away from it all, leaving the mess behind because it just seemed like too much to deal with. The reality is that even if we “run away,” the mess remains. It has to be sorted through and addressed, and that takes time and effort. It isn’t always easy, but there is hope, and there is help. Are you in the middle of a mess right now, or have you been trying to sort through one or more problems?
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
God wants to help you sort through it all, big and small. He isn’t scared of dark closets, basements full of spider webs, dust, or clutter. Nothing scares God! Make a list of all the things that seem to be piling up in your life right now. Take one thing at a time and pray about it and be specific. Ask God to help you prioritize what needs to be addressed first and to give you wisdom and courage to surrender all that needs to be surrendered. Let Him help you clean up your “mess” and bring order back into your life.
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2
Challenge: Take one closet or cupboard and organize it this week. Sort through and decide what needs to stay and what needs to go (gift, donate, or throw away). After you finish organizing and cleaning that space, write down the scripture above and tape it inside the door of your newly organized space. Remember that God can sort through anything and create peace and order again. We don’t need to run or hide from our mess; we simply need to surrender it over and get to work.
Written By: Mary Martinez
