June 30
Swedish Death Cleaning
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ––James 4:14-15
There’s a streaming show my wife and I watch called Swedish Death Cleaning. The gist is that these three helpful Swedes—a therapist, a home organizer, and an interior designer—go into people’s homes who feel overwhelmed by their “stuff.” Then they ask a simple but profound question: “If you were to die tomorrow, what possessions would you feel bad about making your loved ones sort through?”
Think about the question a minute. As I have gone through my closet, bookshelves, and garage, this point of view has radically shifted how I view my possessions. The process is both liberating and satisfying, because what it forces you to do is make a distinction between what is truly worth keeping, and what isn’t. This kind of minimalist thinking is challenging—for me, it has revealed attachments to things that are more emotional than practical. (I mean, do I really need to keep all my old tennis shoes because “I might need the ratty ones for yard work”?)
The principles of Swedish Death Cleaning can also be applied to what I call taking spiritual inventory. In a similar vein, you ask yourself, “If I were to die next week, what ‘clutter’ do I need to clear away today so I accomplish all I want to in terms of my most important relationships?” This is a process where you take half a day or more to unplug from the rat race, get alone with God, your Bible, and your tablet or journal, take stock of where you are spiritually, and where you want to go from here. Some things to consider:
- What wreckage from my past still needs to be cleared away? Have you mended unresolved relationships? Walked away from addiction? Made amends for wrongs toward others?
- What physical, mental, or emotional attachments are causing me more harm than good? Look at all your key relationships and measure them against God’s Word. Are they edifying? Do they glorify Him? If not, it may be time to sever ties or look for ways for God to change or heal them.
- What is my calling and am I in the process of fulfilling it? Ask God to reveal—or remind—you of that unique calling or assignment that He’s given to you. What pieces of your calling are as yet incomplete? What steps do you need to take today to get back on track to fulfill God’s calling in your life?
- What are the next steps God wants me to take to live more authentically for Jesus? This is not dissimilar to point three above, but think of it in broader terms. Another way to ask this: “Father, am I living my life today just as you want me to live it? If not, what character defects or blind spots do I need to work on to become more like Christ?
I encourage you to take spiritual inventory at least once a year, if not more frequently. You don’t necessarily have to follow the steps I’ve provided, just as long as it is a time where you can get alone without your phone or other interruptions, and allow God to speak to your head and your heart about His plans and purposes for you. Keep your written inventories so you can look back at them as a “spiritual roadmap” of where you were one year, two years, or even 20 years ago, and how God has worked in your life during that time.
Lord, help me do a type of “spiritual Swedish death cleaning” whereby I declutter my spiritual life so I am less burdened by life’s distractions and more focused on the things that matter most to You.