BOOST #153: Before You Plan your Creative Year, Clear This First 🧹
A lesson on clutter, clarity, and peace.
💖 DEVOTIONAL:
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”
1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV)
At the start of every year, my wife and I usually set aside a day to plan. We talk about direction, goals, rhythms, and the kind of year we hope to steward well. This year, we still want to do that. But we are delaying it a bit because we realized something more urgent needed our attention: Decluttering.
With two kids, our home feels like it’s in a constant state of chaos. Toys migrate. Drawers overflow. Our storage grows more disorganized every month. After the Christmas season, the mess felt especially loud. Instead of feeling rested, we felt overwhelmed. So we decided to postpone planning and start with something simpler. Bring order to what’s already here.
As we started clearing shelves and sorting piles, I was reminded that clutter is not just a physical problem. It affects how we think and how we rest. When everything is everywhere, it’s hard to focus. It’s hard to feel peace. And it’s hard to dream. Order creates space. Space allows us to breathe again.
The same is true for our inner life. Our hearts and minds can quietly accumulate clutter over time. Unfinished thoughts. Lingering worries. Old disappointments. Noise from constant input. We keep adding more without ever making room. Then we wonder why we feel stuck, uninspired, or restless.
God is a God of peace, not confusion. He often brings clarity not by adding something new, but by helping us remove what no longer belongs. This January, perhaps the most spiritual thing we can do is clear space. To lay things down. To quiet the noise. To allow order to return so that new ideas, fresh dreams, and holy direction have room to grow.
So before you rush into planning the year ahead, consider this. What needs clearing first? What clutter is crowding your attention? As you bring order to your space, invite God to do the same in your heart. Make room. You might be surprised by what begins to emerge.
🙏 PRAYER:
Father, thank You for being a God of peace and clarity. Help me recognize the clutter in my life that is stealing space from You. Teach me to release what no longer serves the season I am in. Bring order to my heart and mind so that I can hear You more clearly and walk into the new things You have prepared. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
💡 TIP OF THE WEEK:
Choose one small area today to declutter. A drawer, a folder on your phone, or a note list in your head. As you clear it, ask God to show you one thought, habit, or distraction you may need to let go of this season.
Maybe It’s Not Just Clutter Holding You Back 🤔
As we clear physical space, it’s worth asking if something deeper is blocking your creativity. Fear, comparison, self-doubt, or old narratives can quietly drain creative energy. That’s why Creative Juice Booster includes a chapter called “Slaying Your Giants.” It’s designed to help you face the inner obstacles that keep you stuck so you can start the year lighter and clearer.
THAT’S IT FOR THIS WEEK’S DROP!
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—Brian V.
This is such a good reminder!