The Rule of 5

It never ceases to amaze me how much Jesus wants to be a part of our lives by giving us practical, tangible help. When I was discouraged about my inability to get organized, I took the problem to Jesus during my quiet time with Him. “There is no way that I will be able to meet my life goals with this serious state of disorganization,” I told Him. “I try to change, but I need Your help, because without it I keep slipping into my old pattern of doing nothing because I cannot do everything. How can I overcome this problem?”

Faithful as always, He spoke to my heart with words of encouragement about how much He loves me, even though I’m not perfect and don’t accomplish as much as I think I should. Any forward progress is better than nothing, He reminded me. He didn’t design us to succeed every time, only to be able to move forward, to learn and progress, and through that process to eventually become all we can be.

Jesus then gave me a few pointers to help me to make progress in this area, including what I have come to call “the rule of five.” The crux of my problem was that I had accumulated way too many things—clutter that led to a feeling of chaos. Some things I needed, some I had kept because I thought I might need them someday, and some were just plain junk.

Jesus didn’t suggest that I embark on a huge reorganizing project that would have been very taxing and nearly impossible to follow through on, but rather that I start by trying to get rid of five unnecessary things each day. It could be as simple as putting a brochure that I’m through with into the recycle bin. I am also trying to pass on nice things that I will probably never use again, like that item of clothing that would fit if I were to lose some weight, but which would look great on a friend right now. You get the idea. I’ve been able to give lots of small gifts to friends, donate some other things to needy causes, and throw away the junk—and it has brought me back to the joys of simple, uncluttered living.

Of course some days I forget or don’t have time, and I still have a lot of stuff to work through, but the rule of five has given me a plan that works and I no longer constantly feel like an organizational failure.

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James 1:22 ESV – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV – For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Colossians 1:29 ESV – For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.