A few years ago we decided it was time to get rid of some “stuff”. Early in this journey I was introduced to Mari Kondo’s “Komari Method” and the concept of minimalism. Mari Kondo says your things should “spark joy” and if they don’t you should get rid of them. Sounded simple enough so I tried to imagine what Konmari’s “sparking joy” should feel like. Did this lighted curio cabinet full of collectibles spark joy in me? Did any of these collectibles spark joy? “Oh I remember this! My 6 year old daughter won this trophy for her pet butterflies. It made her so proud and then…” Wait, that thing did not spark joy in me! It sparked my memory. The memory sparked my joy! I looked around. What is here that could spark joy in me? What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t anything here spark joy? With my vast collection of physical “stuff” (about 3000 square feet and 10 years of postponing purging decisions) not one thing sparked joy? While I am a serious person, I am not a joyless person.
What even is joy? Joy: a feeling of pleasure that comes from a sense of well-being. From Healthypsychology.org we define Joy as an attitude of the heart or a belief that comes from within. Joy is an internal lasting emotional condition. At that moment I realized the fallacy of the Konmari method.
Purging after 10 years of collecting
NOT ONE physical item in my life has the power to spark any lasting internal joy in me! If it did… IF my joy was dependent on any of my physical possessions, I am in grave danger of losing that joy. Any and all of my physical possession can be stolen, lost or go up in smoke at any given time and if they are the source or “spark” for my joy then my joy goes with them. I am sorry Mari Kondo but I need my joy to stick around through thick and thin. I need a lasting internal emotional condition of well-being even when the world around me falls apart. John 16:20-22 tells me I can have a joy that no man can take from me. I Peter 1:8 tells me that my joy can be unspeakable! I want that kind of joy! If not physical possessions, then what is the “spark” or source of this unspeakable joy that no man can take from me?
“Tinka” @oneeyedpanther helping with the piles on the desk
SPARKING JOY UNSPEAKABLE: I believe the first mention of joy in the Bible is found in I Samuel 18:6 when David brought victory over the oppressing Philistines and all the women of Israel come out of the cities singing and dancing for joy! VICTORY is a legit source of joy! David’s actions that brought victory were actions of being in the right place at the right time doing the right thing; a life of righteousness! NOT one of my possessions can bring me victory over the oppression of the enemy of mankind. The sacrifice of Jesus blood on the cross for my sins allows me to find victory! This victory is a spark of joy in my life. I truly was bound before I accepted His payment for my sin. I could not stop the cycle of doing the very things that I would shortly regret. This kind of victory cannot be achieved outside of the power of the Blood of Jesus. What Jesus did for me personally by dying on the cross in my place so I could be free from this oppression is amazing! This sparks overwhelming joy unspeakable deep within my heart! This is joy no man can take from me. This joy can only be sparked in a life surrendered to Jesus! If you accept the work of the cross you can walk in righteousness that comes from Him. You will have victory that comes from Him and that will produce JOY that comes from Him! Romans 14:17.
SPARKING JOY THAT NO MAN CAN TAKE AWAY: God’s word is a source of joy. Jeremiah 15:16 tells us that if we consume the word of God it will be joy and a delight to our hearts! When was the last time you heard good news and it made your heart skip a beat? Take in God’s word to your innermost part and it will spark joy in you! In fact Luke 10:38-42 tells us that “few things are needed” and things can cause distraction from what can truly spark joy – listening to the message of God’s love for us! This may be a good reason to minimize your home-purge things to have few distractions from “what is better and it will not be taken away”! This is the Joy that no man can take away! Matthew 6:33 tells me if I will just seek Him first I will have need of nothing anyway -so purge way! Through His word he makes known the path of life (Psalms 16:11) and fills us with Joy in His presence! What a great source of abundant Joy to go to the Word of God daily and find His overflowing love toward me! To read or hear that He has my back and has my best interest at heart! John 10:10 He wants me to live life to the fullest! This is the joy that no man can take away! The fact that the God of the Universe has my best interest at heart—It makes me giddy!
@tmw.redeemed sparking it up
SPARK SOME ELSE’S JOY: While there are several other Biblical “sparks” for joy I want to talk about one more that brings it full circle! In Luke 15 there are three parables about lost items that were found. In each story the finding of what was lost was a spark for joy! We know that a blessing is doubled when it is shared with another! In I Thessalonians 2:19-20 Paul tells us that YOU are a source of JOY! If you have read this far then I have shared the Good news of what Jesus did on the cross for us. If you will accept His payment for your sin then you will be found! You can simply verbally acknowledge to Him that you needed that payment for your sin and accept it as a gift from Him. You have now become a beautiful spark of joy not only to me but to all the angels in heaven! Luke 15:10 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Now go spark some joy in someone else! Maybe that spark will even reach Mari Kondo!