GRACE ANCHORED JOURNEY

Have you ever tried looking for something so important but ended up being dismayed because it was nowhere to be found? It sounds crazy, right?

However, for many times in the past, I always found myself exasperated because I needed something so badly but I forgot where I placed it. If you feel the same, don’t worry. You are not alone.

Many years ago, my friend told me how important to keep things in order. I also had a friend who was really into organization and decluttering. I saw how she patiently folded her clothes, how she neatly put everything in place in her condo, how she arranged her things, and how she managed her space to make it more conducive.

I was not born as diligent as her. And, that’s the reason why I need to learn how to make things orderly. A few years ago, I had to move to a small apartment near from my workplace. Because of that, I had to let go of the things that did not really matter and rarely used. That’s the start of my minimalist life. I literally checked all my things (from my previous apartment) one by one and sorted it according to “Do I need this or not?” Yes. Then I will keep it. No, then I need to either throw them away or send it back home to our province.

If you remember, there was a time when Marie Kondo, who introduces the art of tidying up became so well-known that everyone seemed to follow her way of ridding the things that lack value. She was remembered by her tagline – “Whatever sparks joy, that should be the one that we need to keep.” Hmmm. . . sounds good, right? But is this really the principle in making our lives more organized? I think, we don’t want a messy life, do we?

Although I agree with her idea of tidying up, I am more into minimalism – only keep those things that are usable, valuable, and important in our daily life. The idea of “what sparks joy should be kept” is not something that is beneficial when it comes to organization and tidying up. “What if something sparks joy but it is not practical to keep?” I had a lot of things that spark joy in my heart but chose to let go because I wanted to be practical – to maintain an organized room. So, let’s find out what the Word of God has to say about being organized and having an organized life.

In 1 Corinthians 14:33 states that “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” Remember the story of creation in the book of Genesis? God made everything accordingly. It was in order and in proper. Imagine if the Lord made the man on the first day? What could have happened to him?

God is not the author of confusion but peace. Our lives reflect our way of living. Our room, our house, our place they are evidences what kind of person we are. Is our life organized enough for God’s glory? I am not talking about perfection. I am referring to the way how God wants us to live.

As women, we are called to handle homemaking and home management. I must confess, I am not good at doing things at home. That’s why I always ask God to enable me to help me enjoy those things that I perceive as boring and draggy. So, I have learned to align those things according to God’s standards. It is the only motivation that I have in order to do the right thing.

1. Do things for His glory.

Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

This is what I always need to keep in mind so that I will be motivated to keep things in order. One of the things I want to improve this year is to be more organized and thorough in cleaning and tidying up.

Paul gave an example that whether we eat or drink, we do it for the glory of God. Eating and drinking are basic and so natural body movement. Yet he reminds us how we ought to bring glory even in little and seemingly mechanical that we do. It is not what sparks joy, but what glorify our God is the most important thing that we need to keep in mind.

2. It is a command.

1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

This is Paul’s command to the church in Corinth regarding the use of their spiritual gifts and roles in the church. In the same way, either in church or our personal lives, we must do things decently and in order because we serve a God of order and peace.

3. Being organized and decent is learned. The best example of having an organized way of life is the Proverbs 31 woman. She is a good home maker. She is good at business. She is organized and full of work. She is also a kind and diligent woman. But I believe that she learned everything because she loved the Lord. The focal point of having that desire to be organized and proper. Whenever we read Proverbs 31, we might say, “Oh, that’s so tiring. I cannot be like her.” I had that moment, too! But as I grow older and as I see things in a deeper and different way, the only thing that we need is love and obedience to the Lord in order to walk according to how He wants us to walk on earth. Yes, it may sound so tiring and boring, yet we feel the joy of this woman. Because we know that she does it to glorify his Father in Heaven.

If you are a woman who desires to be like her, join me and start focusing on the Lord. We might need to list all the things that we have to do and start accomplishing it. Remember that a woman of God is not an idle woman. I like how Elizabeth Elliot put it into words,

“The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.”

Let’s be different and set apart for the Lord.