Like a house, a spiritual life may become cluttered

I really, really do not like garage sales. It seems as if my wife and I have a garage sale every year, and, every year, people actually pay us for what I am on the verge of throwing away, I still do not them. No matter how successful the sale is, I am still convinced that the difference between a garage sale and garbage is a six-foot table.

At some point between staying up really late, getting up really early and going to bed exhausted, the thought crossed by mind that often our lives can be just like a garage sale.

We have garage sales because stuff accumulates. A little here and a little there -- all of a sudden your house looks as if it belongs on one of those hoarder intervention shows. Everywhere you turn there is just a wall of stuff. It may be nice stuff. It may have even been expensive stuff. Over time, though, the stuff has built up so much that life has become about keeping up with the stuff.

Now don't get me wrong. We need stuff. We are privileged to have stuff. 1 Samuel 30 tells the story of King David's army divided into two groups. One went and fought, the other stayed with the stuff. Both -- after some interpersonal conflict -- were rewarded in their efforts. So say we need stuff, we use stuff, and someone's got to stick with it. But sometimes the stuff piles up so much that all we can see is the stuff, and our spiritual lives can so easily become cluttered.

Eliminating spiritual clutter calls, first, for confession that clutter has built up and, second, repentance, turning away from what is cluttering your life. Perhaps one of the best things you can do to try to eliminate the spiritual clutter and distraction that keep you from hearing the voice of God is to practice Sabbath; A 24-hour period of family and refreshment. Cut out some reality TV and read your Bible. Gather with friends create memories rather than reading of others' experiences on social media. Read a book that grows and challenges your faith. Even better, read it and discuss it with a friend. And Pray.

We all have stuff. The problem is when the stuff we have actually has us. It's time for a spiritual garage sale.