31 Days Fall Challenge: Week Three ~ Hidden Clutter... Part 2

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Welcome back to the second part of this post.  If you read yesterday's post, you saw two spaces in my house where I have "hidden clutter".  Our air conditioner was not working for a couple of days and it was just too hot in the house to care about de-cluttering.  Thankfully, our landlord came today with the AC guy and now it's a cool 74* in my house. =) No excuses - time to get to work on the mess!

As you know, this challenge is all a part of the 31 days Fall Challenge - Making Your Home a Haven.  She challenged us to also set a timer for twenty minutes and go through the house with a trash bag and just clean up.  I did that this morning and was glad to have gotten so much done!

Well, there was a second part to the challenge and that was to take care of some of the "clutter" in our spiritual life.  She reminds us to think about unconfessed sin in our lives and challenges us to take care of it.

1 John 1:9~If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

When I think about "spiritual clutter", I always think of our hearts being like a closet.  I am glad that my closet is one area that I keep in order.  I like all my hangers facing the same direction and I like to group my pieces.  I also line them up by color and length.  It sounds like a lot of work, but the system works for me.  I used to hoard my clothes, even if I didn't wear it that often or if I grew out of it - but I came to grips with the nonsense of that and took several bags to the Goodwill.  

So, let's take a look at the "closet" of our hearts.  Is your heart neat and tidy or are you overwhelmed with an abundance of unnecessary things?  You may have some things in your heart that you just feel you can't let go of...but those things no longer "fit" you. They may have been okay for the old you, but not the new child of God that you are now.  Maybe you have some bitterness in your heart.  How about jealousy?
Just like you wouldn't want a closet full of dirty, ill-fitting, or outdated clothing - I don't think you'd want sin, bitterness, anger, jealousy or any other thing to go without attention in your heart.  The only way to take care of that problem is to confess your sin.  Just because you are a child of God, it does not mean that you can live however you want.  Our freedom in Christ was bought with a great price and we should live in a way that is honoring to our Lord.  We are human and of course, He knows that.  We will fail often and when we do, we need to confess it to Him.  It's better to keep the closet of your heart clean and in order.  You will feel better for it!
James 1:21~So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
My clothes closet may be in order, but I know that I there's always some cleaning to do in my Heart Closet.  I'd rather own my sin and come clean than live in the filth of denial.  Besides, who doesn't want a lighter, clutter-free heart? =)