“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:25).
After prayerful consideration and wanting to live closer to my son and family, I decided to move from my rental house into an apartment early in 2007. You never know how much “stuff” you accumulate until you decide to move. I had to begin the pick, pack, or pitch regiment. After many years of living in one place, trying to detach yourself from “stuff” wasn’t as easy as I had thought. Then I had to narrow it down to what to keep and what would need to be given or tossed away. I even had to laugh and ask myself why I kept some of things I had stuffed into boxes through the years.
From a spiritual perspective, our lives would be less stressful if we could “de-clutter” the “junk” from them. Within it we find obstacles that can deter contentment. Negative attitudes, bad habits we still are trying to overcome, the lack of time we spend in prayer and Bible study may be making our lives more difficult. We need to “move” these out and think of words like prioritize, minimize, and organize. The latter can help “de-stress” your life. If you really want to enjoy the experience of a contented life, you may need to simplify it.
Sue Winchester Missouri
