Hoarding

              Hubby has been watching the show 'Hoarders' lately. Not sure why, but he has watched it a few times now. I was watching with him the other night and the woman they were helping was very cooperative, letting them basically throw out just about everything that had accumulated in her home over many years. Of course this got me thinking...
               As we grow up we take in the words of others. They get stacked in piles in our hearts, in our minds, even in our very souls. There is the stack over there that is full of teasing and taunting by bullies. The stack next to it that is full of condemnation, and the one that is full of put downs by those who said they loved you. Hopefully there are also stacks full of kind words, words that built you up and made you feel safe, loved, respected. Stacks full of words that remind you of good times with people who you loved and who loved you.
               There comes a time in our lives when we need to stop hoarding. Just like that woman on the show, we need to let people come in, sometimes professionals, and help us clear out all those stacks of junk that are cluttering up our minds. The difference between the woman's home before and after was amazing. I just thought 'wow, now she can really live'. Isn't it the same when we clear out our minds? When we get rid of all those stacks, we can really live! We can stop hearing that endless loop of negative words that has been playing for all our lives, and really live in the freedom that CHRIST wants us to have!
              Not everyone that appears on the show is so cooperative. Many of the people they are trying to help just don't, or can't, let them help. They hold onto their stuff, their 'stacks', so tightly that the professionals that are there to help them are unable to. Their hands are tied because the ones that need the help are unwilling to do their part. How like that we can all be when it comes to letting go of the past! I wonder if sometimes we are just too afraid of what life will look like without that which is familiar around us, even if that which is familiar is the very stuff that is weighing us down. Just like those on the show, we get used to working around all our 'stacks', we get use to navigating so that we can continue living. But are we living? Or are we just existing. Watching this show, I just feel so sad for these people. They basically just exist. They can do little more than just be in their homes. They can't move around freely, most can't use their kitchens so they can't cook a meal. They certainly can't have friends over. But when the house gets cleaned out, their lives suddenly open up. Without all the clutter, they can move freely, they can sit on their couches, eat in their kitchens, sleep in their beds. Little things like opening a door, or walking across the floor easily. Things that we take for granted, things that they couldn't do. How will our lives open up if we cleaned out all our stacks? How much easier to hear GOD's still, small voice if our minds aren't cluttered with all those stacks of negative words that won't let us live freely? GOD wants us to live as His children, it really doesn't matter what people think of us, the Bible tells us what GOD thinks of us. And He loves us. Just the way we are.

Heavenly Father, help us to clear out those stacks, it's time for us to stop hoarding them. They are doing us no good! Please help us to rid our minds and souls of the negative words we have heard spoken to and about us, and to focus on Your still, small voice. We thank You for the words You gave us in Your Holy Bible, reminding us that we are in fact Your beloved child. In JESUS' name, Amen.