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February 15, 2016

The Noise of the Outside World: Clearing the Clutter in Your Space

I just happened upon creating this series on Clearing the Clutter, it was only supposed to be a post about the New Year and its intentions, but it has turned into so much more.  The feedback is incredible on how this is speaking to so many in this season.

So, what exactly do I mean when I say “this season”?  Well, to some who have the Bible as their guidebook, it speaks to seasons in life where things come and go, people and situations get sorted in different directions and speaks to the hope that is to come after time has passed in all these things.  For others, a season can just be a time in their life where there may be ups and downs or just “life happening” and it will tumble away into something else eventually.  Regardless, it all falls on simply knowing what season you’re in and what there is to look forward to, what to leave behind and what to press toward. So, in this season of Clearing the Clutter in Your Space, I want to share some insight on the noise of the outside world.  


Sometimes we are pulled in a lot of different directions from the moment we could walk.  Your father wants you to be a doctor, your mother wants you to be a lawyer, your cousin says you would make a great artist, and the neighbor wants you to be a model.  So, you realize that you don’t have the desire to be an artist or confidence to be a model.  You take the classes that lead toward the law degree and half way through you decide to become a social worker.  All the noise of what you could have been or should have been comes back when you’re struggling to pay your student loans or your rent, but your heart is full of compassion for the job you feel you’ve been called to do.  So now, you sit in your office with regret and the noise of the outside world saying you made a mistake.  Not only have you made a mistake, but now you’re unhappy because you’re not being respected on your job, your family is disappointed and your friends are skiing in Aspen…so was it all worth it?

Or maybe you decided to go after your dreams and build your own business delaying starting a family.  You’ve put dating or marriage on hold and vow to get to it, and before you know it, the clock has ticked away and you are left single, without any children and having to curl up with a good book on a Saturday night.  So, then you hear your family in your head saying that you should have just “taken that nice man seriously and accepted the marriage proposal” or “you should have just worked a regular job so you could have time for a family”.  Now you sit wondering if you made a mistake and wondering if you still have time to adopt. Or maybe it’s just that there are some things you have been working on personally and just needed time to pray about or meditate on it or seek counseling or advice and are just going through the journey day by day.  It could be something like deciding what church to attend or how involved you want to get, to deciding if ministry is the place for you as you contemplate leading a bible study.  It could be deciding to wear your hair natural and no longer put a relaxer in it or color the gray.  It could be deciding to move into a tiny house to cut down on expenses and live simply, rather than the home that takes up half of the cul de sac. 

Wherever you are in your season of life, there will always be decisions to make.  And it’s ok to Clear the Clutter in Your Space and quiet the noise of the outside world, because it is your space and you’re the only one that really and truly has to live in your world.  My hope is that you find peace in your space and not feel the need to listen to all of the negativity or unsolicited advice or shaming that may come with decisions you make (and some may not understand).  You’re the one that has to live in your own skin and you must determine what is going to work best for you.  It’s ok to go against the grain.  Time is going to pass anyway; you might as well do what makes you happy while it’s passing.  I heard a minister say once “…leave the consequences to Him” Exodus 19:5.    Now, it’s up to you. 




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