Have you ever heard it said that our outer world often reflects our inner world? In other words, no-one can really see into another person’s mind, but we can see another person’s environment and it will often tell us something about that person. Oh don’t worry, I’m not going to start getting on you because you are kinda messy. All of us can be a little messy at times. What I’m talking about is cleaning up our mental messes, which tend to reveal themselves in our physical messes. Have you ever watched the TV show, “Hoarders?” If you watched the show before you have probably asked yourself how someone can live with that much filth and disorder? However, if you follow the storyline, you will see that the psychologist connects that mountain of mess to a psychological issue in every case, every time, with no exceptions. There is no such thing as living in a disastrous environment and being just fine and dandy in your mind. You cannot be surrounded by clutter yet clean and clear in your mind. You just cannot. James Allen, my fave guy, said it this way:
“As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and good will and serenity.”
Thoughts that are not good, when persisted in, leave their effect in our minds which later reveal themselves in our surroundings. Have you ever visited a model home? (Not recommended because you will hate your home when it’s time to leave! :-)) You will notice in the model homes that the design is always lean and free of clutter. There are many beautiful items in the homes, but they have lots of free space. Ever wonder why? Because the beautiful things in life are not cluttered. They are simple, distinct, open and spacious. Have you ever lived in an apartment or home that doesn’t have enough space? Well, how do you feel when you are there? You feel like you have to escape, right? Have you ever been to someone’s house that is really cluttered or really messy? After fighting off the urge to get out of there, what do you want to do? You instinctively want to clean up. Then, how have you felt after embarking on a clean-up project yourself? You feel good, don’t you. You can finally relax, can’t you? Can you see the connection?
In the Bible, (well, we always end up here don’t we?) God states that all things should be done decently and in order. (I Corinthians 14:40) God is a God of order. You can see the result of His handiwork when you observe nature. His arch-enemy, our nemesis, is called the author of confusion. Confusion is distracting and detrimental to us. You can see the result of his handiwork when you look at a big city. And where do you go to relax? You go to the country or to the beach (simple, spacious, uncluttered). You cannot see the bottom of the pool when the water is agitated, but when the water is calm, you can see everything again. Our minds are like that. When our minds are clear, free, unencumbered, we can see and think clearly. When our minds are confused, messy, full of baggage and clutter, we cannot see or think properly and it reflects itself in our physical environment. You see, we need to clean up. Start with the physical stuff, then work on the mental stuff. Get rid of old, hurt feelings. Let go of the past and stop dragging it around with you like a badge of honor. Get to the bottom of things. Solve problems, resolve differences, clean up, clean up, clean up!
In your mind as well as your physical environment, put things in their proper place. Everything has a place and if something doesn’t have a place, get rid of it (in your mind and in your surroundings). My kids often call my wife OCD because she insists on things always being decent and in order. But, they don’t realize that, that decent and in order home is a haven for them, a place where peace and love abounds.
Why spend another day confused, anxious, and all out of sorts? No-one has to live that way, if they don’t want to. If you need help, get help. If you have impossible problems, get in touch with God Who specializes in things called impossible. There is nothing that you and God cannot solve! But remember, He is a God of order and that the greatest cargoes of life come in over quiet seas. Take some time to do a “check up from the neck up!” Clean up, clear out and live in the spacious, free, unencumbered place that God has already laid out for you to live in…
Clean up your mess… (smile)
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