faith unfaded

“My brain has too many tabs open.”

I saw that on a sign at Meow Wolf on a travel assignment to Houston and instantly related. My mind is frequently cluttered, leaving so many projects open at the same time, afraid they’ll get lost in my middle-aged brain if I power down.

And often, when the tabs are superstacked in my mind, I can look around and see the same thing in my room. A cluttered desk, messy counters, a make-up table littered with receipts and loose change — they all reflect what’s happening inside.

Before I began using pockets in place of a purse, I would always say that you could tell the state of my life by the state of my purse. My soul craved an orderly purse as much as a sorted mind. It was a rare achievement.

But I learned some small tricks along the way. My grandmother always said a made bed makes a room look 75% cleaner, and I find that to be true. Knowing I function better when things are in order, I make the bed as soon as I get up, try to keep the clothes folded, and organize the papers in my work bags weekly. And when the mess gets too out of hand, I’ve even grounded myself — no leaving the house until things are back in place. Because chaos around me usually leads to chaos within me.

But the truth is, the deeper clutter isn’t on my desk or in my bags. It’s the spiritual clutter that weighs me down. Those unresolved issues and unsurrendered worries — the things I stuff into the pockets of my heart just to keep moving. Hebrews 12:1 reminds us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” We can’t run well when we’re dragging a pile of spiritual junk behind us.

The only way I know to truly declutter is to bring it all to the foot of the cross. Jesus is the only one who knows how to sort through my mess — what to keep, what to heal, what to throw away for good. It’s like deep cleaning for the soul.

So whether it’s my room, my desk, my bags, or my mind, I’ve learned that order brings peace. And peace comes when I’m willing to surrender what I can’t carry. Living uncluttered isn’t about perfection. It’s about making space — in my heart — for the presence of God.

Maybe you’ve been feeling the weight of clutter too — not just in your room or your purse, but in your spirit. I encourage you to take a moment today and ask: What am I carrying that I could lay at the feet of Jesus? Start small if you need to. Tidy a corner of your room, clear a desk, make your bed — and then let that be a reminder to also clear space in your soul. The same God who gives peace in order can bring peace in your heart when you surrender the mess to Him.