A Time to Throw Away

A Time for Everything 
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 NIV

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

We have moved several times through the years which provides a natural opportunity to get rid of a few things. I remember a few years back when we were moving from Indiana to New York and my husband was not terribly insistent that the younger girls do a lot of purging. I thought it was a perfect time to throw out a few things and he insisted we didn’t push the issue. While my husband and I gave away, donated, and threw away all kinds of things, the girls did not. We agreed that as long as the girls were willing to pack their own boxes, whatever they kept was fine with us.

As we prepared to move from New York last spring, the girls were 4 years older and hadn’t necessarily spent a lot of time with all of the treasures they brought with them to New York. As they sorted through their stuff to pack up and move again, they were shocked at the things they had chosen to bring along from Indiana. These “treasures” they lugged across the country were not so important after all. But it took them some time and perspective to come to that conclusion. Purging when we left New York was so much easier than when we left Indiana. Some of it was age and some of it was perspective. Some of the things tied to memories they held onto had seemed incredibly important at that time but now were not. The girls donated and pitched all kinds of things this time around.

Often we hold onto things so tightly until we are ready to let go. And once we are ready, we are really ready to be done with whatever it is. Sometimes it is physical stuff or negative emotions or bad habits or toxic relationships or a grudge.

Are you holding onto things that really just need to be let go? I know I am. Even though I tend to be the person that holds onto things because I see they have potential future use, I definitely get bogged down trying to manage all the possibilities and potential. And I absolutely hold onto things that are detrimental to my spiritual health. I know God is working on my heart to get rid of some things that are hanging around and do not serve any positive value in my life. Purging some junk is definitely in order!

I love the specific opportunity to reflect during the Lenten season: it’s like boot camp for my heart — it strengthens me in my faith and softens my heart to God all at the same time.  Thanks for joining me on this journey! I would love to hear the ways God is working on your heart.

On the Way,

Liz