
Sermon series Spring Cleaning: Declutter
1. Declutter
Many people are so busy doing religious things that they have no time for God. —A.W. Tozer
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” — Luke 10:38–42 NIV
Our busyness often keeps us from encountering God’s presence, but it is in His presence that we find true rest and peace. —Timothy Keller
The busyness test:
- Constantly feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
- Always rushing from one task to another without taking breaks.
- Difficulty focusing and being easily distracted.
- Neglecting self-care activities such as exercise, proper nutrition, and sleep.
- Struggling to find time for meaningful relationships and social interactions.
- Frequently missing deadlines or forgetting important commitments.
- Lack of enjoyment or satisfaction in your daily activities.
- Frequently multitasking and feeling like you’re never fully present in the moment.
- Declining physical and mental health, such as increased fatigue, anxiety, or irritability.
- Difficulty saying “no” and taking on more responsibilities than you can handle.
- Neglecting important aspects of your life, such as hobbies, personal interests, or spiritual practices.
- Feeling a constant sense of urgency and an inability to relax or unwind.
- Frequently relying on caffeine or other stimulants to keep up with your schedule.
- Struggling to maintain a work-life balance and feeling guilty when you’re not working.
- Frequently feeling a sense of dissatisfaction or emptiness despite accomplishing tasks.
- Losing sight of your long-term goals and focusing only on immediate demands.
- Ignoring warning signs of burnout, such as chronic exhaustion or cynicism.
- Difficulty delegating tasks and feeling like you have to do everything yourself.
- Frequently running late or feeling rushed in your daily routines.
- Lack of time for reflection, self-reflection, or personal growth.
- Declutter being
- Declutter unhealthy.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. —Proverbs 13:20 NIV
4. Declutter unhealthy__ habits__.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. —Galatians 5:19–21 NLT
Steps to declutter
- Make a commitment to declutter. Visualize how you want your ideal life and relationship with Jesus to look and feel like.
- Start the decluttering process by being honest about where you are.
- Start small. Pick three areas of your life you would like to declutter.
- What next steps will you take for each?
- What are three healthy things you will replace them with?
- Maintain your ideal life: Establish habits to keep your life decluttered. Implement daily or weekly routines to ensure you stay on track.
- Enjoy the transformation: Embrace the positive changes in your life and appreciate the benefits of a God honoring clutter-free, life.