Every good housekeeper understands the benefits of keeping a clean house. When one’s house is free of excess clutter, dirt and dust, cobwebs, smudges and stains, garbage and waste, it’s a more pleasant place to be. Thought is free to soar into productive healthy places, rather than worry about how to find a wanted item hidden in the clutter somewhere or allowing the mess to get so out of control one gets discouraged about ever cleaning it up.
The same rule applies to our state of thought. The cleaner thought is of mortal mind clutter and mess, the easier it is to hear God’s voice and pray with success.
To keep moving down a path of progress with ease and delight, keep a clean mental house! Throw out the garbage; any fascination with disease, simmering resentments, low level anger, or high-level rage, unnecessary fear, doubt, despair, fretting, fussing and fuming. Anything that is not coming from God doesn’t belong in your mental home. Welcome angel thoughts of Truth and Love. Kick anything ungodlike out the door.
Just as it’s a delight to walk through a clean home that radiates love and care, it’s a delight to walk through one’s day with a clean mental house. Inspiration is found quicker. God’s presence is clearer. Healing happens faster.
A very helpful reminder, thank you Evan!
Thanks Evan for beautiful thought & analogy of housekeeping. Mary Baker Eddy; has written in Miscellany: Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. So we must keep our minds free of thoughts of fear, anxiety, stress, doubt etc. Rather we should fill our mind with Truth & Love which will expel all the clutter from our minds. Thanks for very helpful thought
Am in the process of decluttering my home and consciousness so appreciate these ideas in Spiritview. An article in the Sentinel April 17, 1995 by Isabel F. Bates titled Eliminating the Clutter discusses the ideas of Evan’s message. Christ Jesus warned us of mental clutter, the article states, “In his parable of the sower, he speaks of a state of mind symbolized by seeds that “fell among thorns.” These, he explains, are similar to individuals who hear the word of God, but “go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection” (Luke 8:14). In Misc. Writings there is reference to a person wanting to climb the mountain of Christianity. “Hast thou been driven by suffering to the foot of the mount, but earth-bound, burdened by pride, sin, and self, hast thou turned back, stumbled, and wandered away?” (pp. 327–328). The author of the article said she found healing when she longed to express God better and had less interest in worldly things and interests. She also decluttered her messy room. Divine Mind is uncluttered, the article asserts, so we can give up grief, despair, fear, mesmerism, self-centeredness etc. for the “majesty of our true being as God’s image”, The author recommended a helpful action:”When we ask each moment “What do I need to know and do now, Father?” we will have the answer. This attitude acts as a powerful preventive and can help to keep the mental decks cleared for progress.” As Evan wrote we want to welcome angel thoughts of Truth and Love.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1995/4/97-16/eliminating-the-clutter
Thanks to Lindajane and Mmj for sharing this article. Can anyone provide the shared view link so all can read it? Thanks very much.
Yes, here is the link:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/2mmu0dkl0dw?s=e
Thanks, Texas! Where do you find shared link?
Thank you kindly, Friend in Texas.
Thanks Very Much to Rose, MMJ and Friend in Texas for sharing the article
I appreciate the reminder about keeping thought clean and clear of error”s nonsense, which tend to clog the pores of thought if one doesn’t keep on top of it.
I do struggle with household clutter, so this is a great reminder for me, as I believe it is intertwined with mental clutter.
Evan I was struck by your words “fascination with disease.” When I was a child my father had a sort of medical encyclopedia in the house, he used to read it and learn about different ailments, symptoms, “cures” etc. He called it the doctor book. Being intelligent and curious I sometimes read it too. Thank goodness I found CS as an adult and learned the Truth about God’s children. I can wash out all of that old, false “knowledge” and fill up with the beautiful truths about God’s healthy reflection. It’s my (and everyone’s) divine right to know these truths..
Himanshu Dhand mentioned Mrs. Eddy’s “What our Leader Says,” I love the second part of that admonition: “Good thoughts are an impervious armor; …And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.” So our “uncluttered thought” benefits the whole world!
Evan you have josted my thought into a place that needs to be decluttered in my home ie my consciousness. Thank you so much for the shared link as I also enjoy reading and being conscious throughout my day of the morning ideas.
I found this from Sentinel 5/16/2022
“Letting Go of Clutter” by Julie Ward
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/8dqtm7qbsa
This is a great article too, Rose though the article mentioned is this one from 1995 by Isabel F. Bates,I think. https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/2mixrmkcucm?s=copylink
Or
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1995/4/97-16/eliminating-the-clutter
Hope one of these works for all! (My first time sharing a link here)
Thank you, Evan, for this reminder about keeping thought uncluttered. I also appreciate the suggested articles shared by others in this post as this is something I need to address more specifically in my thought and home. Much to ponder and practice. A great wake up and start to the week.
I love what Julie Ward says in her conclusion, exposing the thoughts and fears causing clutter: “Our Life is God. Life includes health, abundance, and freedom. Life is never stuck in the past or fearful about the future.” My mom was such a great housekeeper that she would help others not only clear out their clutter, but help them think about lifting the burden from cleaning and finding the fun and joy in the work. “I never see a messy room,” she used to say, “I see the order and beauty underneath it.” Holding that ideal for a room is as effective in establishing a room’s beauty as holding the perfect man in thought is effective in healing!
Wow Diane I love your analogy between seeing the perfect orderly room and seeing God’s perfect man (woman, child,) Indeed since God is all, His perfect universe has to include an orderly home reflecting that perfection.
What your mom said about the fun reminds me of something from the classic Disney movie Mary Poppins. Mary is trying to encourage the reluctant children to tidy up and she says, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and snap, the job’s a game.”
Then she breaks out in delightful song and magical things happen as the room is cleaned. Here’s fun clip of that scene.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U8VHc49ZdP4&noapp=1
LOL, Rose. Were it so easy around here as snapping one’s fingers,
before and everything magically is tidied up. Thanks for sharing.
Yes Carol, it sure would be great if we had Mary Poppins’ magic, I sure could use it in my house. But a spiritual understanding of tidying up will go a long way if I ponder this more and apply it every day.
That’s a great attitude your mom had regarding seeing beauty underneath messy room. A friend was a professional organizer and said she LOVED seeing a super messy room because it had so much potential and would be a dramatic change. There was so much for her to do! I’d feel ashamed of a room where she saw fun, too. It was amazing. The only way I could relate was I teach children to read with intensive phonics so children who can’t read at all are fun to tutor as they make so much progress in a short time – they can usually read their first book in a month and can read anything (including the WSJ) in 8-9 months. It was rewarding to show them they had infinite intelligence and could do it.
Thank you Evan and all contributors. This reminds me of a time when I spent time reading the works of Mary Baker Eddy in an untidy environment, One day as I was reading from the book titled ” We Knew Mary Baker Eddy volume 2,” I read where she told her house keeper that all work is mental and that there is no physical work. I understood and immediately went out to do cleaning. This remains a healing.
When we keep our environment clean, our thoughts also undergo the same cleaning and create more room for better understanding.
Great spiritview and comments! Thank you Evan & readers ! ❤️
Such inspiration here in keeping our mental house in order.
Thank you all! I love being outside and must admit, I sometimes
justify that with, not being able to “do it all”. Most everything is
uncluttered and clean, but you know that “junk drawer” everyone
seems to have? … because my home is small, I have that spare
room that keeps piling up and I keep putting off going through.
Like the article Rose, (Thank you!) shared, “I might need this one
day” and “things” I tend to hold on to sometimes can be better
let go, as also in the article, it states, “Trust that God will always
meet our needs.”
This topic has given me the incentive and inspiration to tackle
that room again and Thank you everyone for your motivation
to helping me do that!
So grateful to you Evan for alerting us to identify the stockpile of mortal mind claims and propensities to be prayerfully cleaned out of consciousness. It is also helpful to recognize the need to expel from thought the accumulated rubbish of mortal belief in past failures, mistakes, and lost opportunities that can tend to obscure our spiritual sense. We can affirm that it there has never been any deviation in Principle’s harmonious order, only the continuous unfoldment of right ideas and guidance to His beloved creation. Man has never been alienated from God, good.
Thank you J and Rose for referencing the superb articles!
Carol I too have that junk room. Sometimes I walk in with good intentions then look round and turn round and walk out again!! Thought has been spurred into action today and things will change! Thanks for all the comments. X
“Clear out the clutter” by Peter Ross:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1fw4pu1uah0
“Struggling with clutter?” (Going forward with God’s help) by Heather Woodman:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/7kzaqbufec
This subject is very close to home and something i have been working on for a long time. I have uncluttered areas and some not so uncluttered. I keep wondering why I am so attached to things I don’t need.
I do abide by Mary Baker Eddy’s Beloved Christian Scientist admonition in keeping mind filled with the Truth. I’m good about that.
Thanks for the article. 🙂 I like where she said” It’s clear to me that an abundance of things—the result of too much focus on matter—actually imprisons rather than frees us.” “Clutter is a state or condition of confusion.” (dictionary.com) She continues “Often a buildup of too many things in our homes is the result of decisions we’ve put off, partly because we’re not clear about what constitutes fulfillment, happiness, and security.”
Have a lovely day!
Thank you very much Evan; it’s so timely for me as my house needs very much decluttering. It needs much prayer and work where to start and how to proceede.
Thank you all for the links to several articles referring to decluttering. They are so inspiring and helpful!
As Evan says, “just that it’s a delight to walk through a clean home that radiates Love and care, it’s a delight to walk through ones day with a clean mental house.” I mention thankfully, as I did several times. that reading the weekly lesson sermon each morning thoroughly is very helpful to start a God centered day, listening to his guidance!
Again, dear Evan thank you very very much for your helpful, comforting and healing Spirit/View ideas . And thank you dear commenters for all your inspirations. ♡♡♡
THANK YOU EVAN!!! THIS IS JUST WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW!!! TODAY I DID SOME MENTAL HOUSECLEANING, AND A REALLY CHALLENGING DAY HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD DAY, WITH GOD AT THE HELM.