I hear it all the time: someone frustrated with distracted prayer or a student struggling to focus on studying for an exam. We all know what it’s like to be harassed by thoughts that confuse and get in the way of careers, relationships and peace; I’m certainly no exception to the experience. Maybe the minds of some here are filled with worry or hurt, stress-filled to-do lists or just unwanted thoughts that make the mind feel full and cluttered.
Life is often full of clutter, of unhelpful things we cling to maybe out of habit or oversight or fear. Of course, God wants us to enjoy what he’s made. But when there’s so much that it gets in the way, threatens order or creates stress: that’s clutter. On top of all the practical issues, clutter is a spiritual problem, because it limits freedom. The things that fill life demand attention. Cluttered schedules forbid rejuvenation. Cluttered spaces obscure joy. Even a cluttered fridge can be an obstacle to a good meal. Worse still, unaddressed clutter tends to grow, threatening to overwhelm. The only way to get rid of clutter is to declutter and until Lent, we’re reflecting on that.
We started with a consideration of how decluttered spaces make the right conditions for peace and love to thrive. We continued with a reflection of how a soul, decluttered of all that pretends to be more important than God, makes the right conditions to remember how we have been set apart to share the Good News. Last week, we examined how decluttering relationships, investing in those which reveal grace and truth, make the right conditions that bring out our very best.
Just as a garage can be filled with so much junk that there’s no room for the car, the mind can be cluttered with junk too. We were made to think, to use our minds, but when the mind becomes cluttered, clear thinking becomes challenging and peace is hard to recognize: all signs of the need to declutter the mind.
Today, we listened to one of the most well-known parts of the Bible, the Beatitudes. Everyone loves the Beatitudes. They’re like God’s manual for right living: eight special blessings offered to those who strive to live after the example of the Saviour. In the sixth Beatitude, Jesus declared, “Blessed are the pure in heart…”[i]. Purity is a term usually associated with living chastely and rightly so. But there’s more to having a pure heart than just chastity. In the Bible, the heart is the place where thoughts originate; the sign of a pure heart is a mind free of harmful or selfish thoughts.
Those with pure hearts have clear vision. While a cluttered mind is tempted to objectify others, to think of others either as objects to be used or as obstacles to be conquered, a pure heart consistently thinks of others as opportunities for love; they see others and creation as God does and this is the reward, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”[ii] The pure of heart have decluttered their minds so they’re not distracted from recognizing God’s presence and work in the world and in others. They are first to recognize the mark of the maker in all he has made.
A decluttered mind is filled with thoughts that regularly lead in a positive direction, thoughts that give joy and peace, thoughts that keep us aligned with God’s plan. Decluttering the mind means eliminating toxic thought patterns that wear us down. It’s an ongoing exercise of rewiring the mind so there’s room for thoughts that build up and fuel us to thrive. Here’s what disciples can do.
First, be aware of what the mind is exposed to. You can clear the browser history of your device, but the mind has no such feature. Just as children who watch scary movies before bed are more likely to have nightmares, the minds of adults are more likely to get stuck dwelling on thoughts planted by what is heard and seen. A mind could be decluttered of worry about world events by shutting off the news. The clutter of grief from a broken relationship might diminish by taking a break from social media. Avoiding movies or shows known to have passionate scenes in them can be a way to declutter a mind distracted by desirous thoughts. Disciples declutter the mind by judging the content we consume, the voices we hear and the information we receive.
Next, deliberately expose the mind to content that’s positive, uplifting and inspiring. Parents might do this for their kids by bringing them to Compass or Awaken. All adults are welcome to Waymark and in the spring there’ll be an invitation to The Search. These are places in our community where disciples of all ages can surround themselves with discussions that directs thoughts towards God. At home, maybe consider checking out the movies, podcasts or books on formed dot org; it’s completely free for all in our community, there’s content for all ages and each week, three recommendations are offered in the news app.
Maybe this week, consider taking a moment to review the thoughts that fill your mind, hunting out the clutter that weighs down. The goal is to fuel thoughts that nourish pure hearts by shielding from voices that feed toxic thinking. It could mean deleting the app, turning off the screen or simply adjusting what we expose ourselves and our loved ones to.
Developing pure hearts is challenging work, to be sure, but it comes with the promise of a great reward: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”[iii] Imagine that peace that would come with seeing God as the angels do, recognizing his loving work and witnessing his power over all evils. That’s a truly great reward that guides disciples.
We praise you, O God, for wonderfully making us and for guiding us through your Spirit and your Word. May the promises of the Beatitudes lead our actions and shape our thoughts so, with hearts made pure, we would see you and reveal your loving presence to all who seek you. This prayer we make in Jesus’ name. Amen.
[i] Matthew 5:8 NRSVCE
[ii] ibid
[iii] ibid
