Stuff. . .we all have it. . .some of us collect it more than others. I happen to have my share of stuff I’ve collected and love. A few months ago, I ran across a couple blog posts where people were selling most of their possessions and making a major move. At the time, I thought, wow, good for them, but I don’t think I could do that; I have so many things that I truly love. You see, for me, buying furniture and decorating my house doesn’t normally consist of driving down to the nearest department store. . .I love old things. . .things with a past. . .things that look too used up to be good anymore. I also love taking those old things and fixing them up to make them beautiful and useful. . .a process that includes putting my heart into the pieces in my home.
And then, it happened. Remember those ladies selling everything? Well, I’m one of them now. The upside is that, as I wrote about a while back, we’re not waiting anymore and I get to live near my family (!!!!!!!!), but the nature of our move requires that we sell most of everything we own.
I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I cried. . .for days. . .not minutes over my stuff. My gracious God kept reminding me gently that it is just stuff. I get to take my family and those things that are most important to me and difficult to replace. My home wasn’t destroyed in a fire; it wasn’t all stolen from me. What was I crying about?! Gently, He showed me how much of myself I was wrapping up in my home and my belongings. . .rather than in Him.
And so has begun the process of God revealing another layer in my life that He wants to refine. And to be honest, selling it all hasn’t been as awful as I imagined. Doesn’t it usually work that way? Sure, there have been a few tears here and there as I have watched some beloved items leave my house; but over all, God has given me the sense that this is just stuff that he wants to unburden me with, so that He can take us to the next step of His plan for our lives!
So, as I have been sifting through our memories and possessions, deciding what to keep and what to let go, I have been reminded that God often asks this of us in other areas of our lives. You may have something, someone, some job that you am holding on to tightly. . .”No! I cannot let this go!!” If we change our thinking and let go of whatever our God is asking us to give Him, He will then have the opportunity to show us the next thing, the best thing that He has planned around the bend.
P.S. If you want to know more about our move, you can hop on over to my blog to read more!
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