I was doing some research on spiritual disciplines when I came across one I had never really considered before: simplicity.

I knew about prayer, fasting, meditation, Bible study, and Sabbath, but simplicity? I had never thought about it as a spiritual discipline.

I’ve always been interested in clutter and the impact it can have on our mental and emotional well-being. I read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, which explores how the busyness and distractions of our lives can interfere with our ability to connect with God.

As I started learning more about simplicity, I realized it goes much deeper than having a clean house or an organized closet.

Simplicity isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s about making room for what truly matters.

The Clutter We Don’t See

A few years ago, I wrote a post about being “minimalist adjacent.” I like the idea of minimalism, but I’m not quite a minimalist.

I don’t have a lot of visible clutter in my house. But I do have a lot of closets! My house can look neat and organized, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t have more stuff than I need.

Lately, I’ve been feeling the urge to do a major purge. Not just my regular seasonal cleaning, but really going through things and asking myself what I need, what I use, and what is simply taking up space.

I’ve always been someone who gives things away. Every season, I go through clothes and other items we no longer use. It’s something my mother taught me growing up. Even when we didn’t have a lot, we still gave things away.

But what if decluttering isn’t just about creating a cleaner home? What if it can also be an opportunity to practice contentment, generosity, and intentionality?

I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with enjoying nice things. I like shopping. I like having things that make my home comfortable and things my family will enjoy.

But simplicity challenges us to examine our relationship with those things.

The goal isn’t necessarily to own less. It’s to make sure what we own doesn’t begin to own us.

Simplicity Goes Beyond Our Homes

Here’s what really challenged me about simplicity as a spiritual discipline: clutter isn’t always physical.

Our minds can be cluttered. Our schedules can be cluttered. Even our spiritual lives can become cluttered.

We can fill every available moment with something to do, somewhere to go, something to watch, or something to think about and then wonder why we struggle to find quiet moments with God.

In Luke 10:38–42, Martha was busy taking care of responsibilities while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him. Martha wasn’t doing something bad. She was serving. But she had become distracted by everything that needed to be done.

Sometimes we don’t need another activity, commitment, or responsibility.

Sometimes we need room to rest. Room to think. Room to pray. Room to simply be present.

Making Room

I’m learning that simplicity isn’t something we accomplish once and check off a list. We can clean out every closet, but if we don’t change our habits, they’ll eventually fill back up. The same is true of our schedules and our minds.

So as I think about my desire to purge my home, I’m also thinking about the other areas of my life.

What am I holding on to that I no longer need?

What is taking up unnecessary space, physically or mentally?

What might I have more room for if I learned to let some things go?

Simplicity isn’t just about what we’re willing to get rid of. It’s about what we’re making room for.

Until next time,

Dominique