Using Some Elbow Grease

Romans 12:1-2 says: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God has kindly been reminding me of these verses so often this year – in every area of my life. In a way I feel like these verses have been my “project” for the year. I have heard these verses read over and over in various places at various times. I feel like God is saying “Kristin, when are you going to get it?” Because I daily struggle with what this looks like.

Stuff. Books shelves chuck-full. Cupboards overflowing. Piles leaning to the side on desks. Yes it may sound like we are bursting at the seams – we actually really aren’t. But I FEEL like we are. I praise God for a 1051 sq. ft. house. I praise Him that He has given us nothing more and nothing less. But. I know there are things in this house that I don’t need. Things that clutter my life. Things that someone else could have a better use for.

A few weeks ago I brought 10 big boxes of items to Goodwill and other thrift stores. I thought about having a garage sale (which I LOVE to do), but with our busy summer, I thought it best to just donate it all. I was SHOCKED that I had 10 boxes full. In fact it made me disgusted. That means I had accumulated 10 boxes of things that I did not need. Maybe at the time they were semi-useful. But really, were they? Some of it was from college and clothes from early college years. Also house decorating items that just cluttered our shelves and did not really serve any purpose.

Yes, purpose. As I have been feeling this nudge from God to clear out the “junk” in life, I’ve realized that it takes some elbow grease. Clearing out doesn’t just mean “oh let me take 5 minutes.” No, it means praying about it. Studying scripture. Pondering what it means to live life and have “purposeful” things. To live life as a living sacrifice. To not conform to the pattern of this world. As I went through our book shelves, cupboards, and drawers, I kept asking myself, what purpose does this serve? If I could only think of a lame excuse, it was gone. If the purpose was for the wrong reason, it was gone. If I hadn’t use/wore/or seen it in a year, it was gone. That is how I ended up with 10 boxes. (I think I could honestly repeat the process too).

You may be wondering why is Kristin on this “kick” all of a sudden? Well, in preparation for possibly being a parent someday, I have had to take a good look at myself, my life, and our house, to make sure that it is God-glorifying. Yeah I’ve always tried to have this mindset, but I am trying to be more serious about it. Maybe we won’t end up with kids through this. But. I know God is teaching me some very valuable lessons nonetheless.

As I have been cleaning out areas of my life, I have wondered if our world can do anything on a small scale? It seems as if everywhere you turn, an advertisement for something bigger and better is front and center. Restaurants. Vehicles. Houses. Even clothes because unfortunately our size is getting bigger. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. As I was going through my books, I had some decorating books that I had gotten awhile back. As I looked at them, I was wishing I could have this or that, causing me to not be satisfied with what I DO have. So I donated them. I have decided to unsubscribe from a few magazines that just don’t help my cause. The magazines in and of themselves are not bad at all – it’s just the desires that they create in me. I have unsubscribed from many companies that send me emails weekly and often daily. Why feed into the need for the “latest and greatest” when God has given me everything I need.

And because God has given me everything I need, I have also asked myself “what in my life compliments my Christianity and what contradicts it?” Does everything I have/wear/own compliment my beliefs? If someone were to see something I have and think “how is that Christian” then I would also have to question it myself. I am well aware that there are differing opinions on what is permissible to have as a Christian. With that, I say pray about it. Ask God to give you guidance. If you feel him nudging you to throw it away or donate it, listen. I had some old cds with some top 40 songs on them. I was listening to them one day and I realized that some of them did not proclaim the best message. Yes, it is JUST music. But I realized I knew almost every word to the song. I was at the gas station, took the cd out, and threw it away. It just wasn’t worth it. Do I listen to Christian radio 24/7? No. I sometimes still listen to top 40. But am I more conscious about what I am saying and singing to? Oh yeah! You better believe it.

It is obvious that our world is constantly changing. For the good and bad. Good because Christ reigns – He is always working – and He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Ps. 121) and He is unchanging. Bad because there is still evil in this world and we as humans all too often choose evil. Because our world is ever-changing, do the changes we make bring us closer to the world or to God? Every decision that we make, does it bring us closer to the world or to God? Every purchase that we make, does it bring us closer to the world or to God?

These are just some of the questions that I have been wrestling with and enjoy pondering. It’s a process. A never-ending one. One that I have enjoyed and continue to work on. I challenge you to do the same.