Clearing Away the Clutter
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything.”
Maybe it’s that COVID-19 has given me a lot more time to think or an abundance of time to clean (my pantry has never been so sparkly, even my dog is confused). Or it’s the fact that Easter has just passed, either way, I’ve had a lot of time to ponder (as I’m sure you have too) about the things that matter most. I’ve come to this conclusion; isolation has a way of clearing away the clutter. The clutter in our brains, the clutter in our hearts, and even the clutter in our souls. Jesus was the first one to point this out.
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Matthew 16:26
What would you give in exchange for your soul? A roll of toilet paper? Hand Sanitizer? I hope not, but then again, a pandemic brings out the clean freak in all of us.
However, I’m pretty sure Jesus had something more in mind than just sanitary needs. I’m going to guess that tending to our souls means to pay attention to the state of our souls and to care for our souls, and to nourish our souls. Believers and spiritual seekers can take something away from this passage. We all have souls that need tending, and the truth of the Gospel applies to all of us, whether we realize or not.
For Christians reminding ourselves of the foundational truth of what we believe is good practice — it fuels our faith, it feeds our souls. For people who are sincerely searching for the truth, tending to their souls will send them on a spiritual quest for truth as well. For both persons clearing away the clutter and abiding in the truth could potentially change their life. That is why I feel prompted to share this post.
If you a Believer, the truth about Jesus matters! It is preposterous to even think it doesn’t. Nearly every person on the planet cares at some level about whether some things are true or not. For example, if you asked someone what time your Zoom meeting begins and they say 10 o’clock and it’s actually at noon, you will care about this misinformation. If someone else says “I don’t know maybe 10 or 11, it really doesn’t matter, whatever works for you!” I can imagine your response would be “which is it 10 or 11”, I can’t make it work it unless I know when it starts?”
Truth matters in everyday situations that are important to us, even mildly important to us. Your faith or lack of faith in God is extremely important, the truth has dire consequences, because if you’ve got this wrong your trust in God will suffer, but if you’ve got this right (and I sincerely believe you do) than your faith will flourish when you are standing on a firm foundation. No matter what comes your way, you will be able weather the storms, because your God, your faith is testable, trustworthy, liveable and just makes sense. A firm foundation in Christ, in the truth about Christ, keeps you grounded. A truth based faith in Christ will empower your worship of Him even more.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1: 18-20
The context of this verse is obviously the Lord inviting sinners to repent, but the biblical principle of using our God-given faculties of intellect and reason still apply. Christians do not have to check their brains at the door. Our hearts and our heads are intricately connected. What we believe in our minds plays very often plays out in our hearts and our actions will ultimately betray what we believe to be true. God invites seekers, doubters, people of faith with sincere questions to inquire of Him. He wants to clear things up for us so we move forward in our relationships with Him at a steady pace. C.S Lewis once said this,
“Faith in the sense of which I am using the word, is the art of holding onto things that your reasons at once has accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”
Faith and reasons are friends, not foes, companions along with for the journey, and a place where trust continues to flourish.
On the other hand, if you are on a spiritual quest or someone who started one and dropped it for whatever reason, seeking the truth is just the wisest thing to do. There is just too much at stake for you to wander down paths that aren’t intellectually sound. I pray this will encourage you to press on. Keep seeking and start with Christianity because it’s the most prudent and reasonable thing to do given what or should I say who it is all about. Tune back in for my next post where I will provide you with 4 reasons to start and invigorate your spiritual quest with Christianity.
// View Part 2 of ‘Abiding in the Truth’ //
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About the Author: denise lang
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Denise serves as an adjunct professor at Vanguard Bible College in Edmonton, Alberta, and is completing her Masters in Apologetics at Liberty University. She has been involved in youth and young adult ministry for over 18 years. Denise and her husband Barry have been married and living in Edmonton for 35 years. As you get to know her, you quickly see her passion for the next generation to develop an unswerving dedication and love for Jesus to serve Him with their whole lives and for their entire lives.