“My room is such a mess — I really need to clean it up!” I found myself saying this every single day. My room is where I sleep, work, and meet people on Zoom, so I spend a lot of time there. Over time, clutter started to build up — books scattered around, piles of stuff everywhere, and a layer of dust settling in. While it didn’t stop me from working, it certainly didn’t create the kind of environment I wanted. I could still manage to work in a small, cleared-off area, but the disarray didn’t make me feel comfortable or create a space where I could truly connect with God as I worked. At the start of 2025, I finally decided it was time to do something about it.
I began imagining a complete rearrangement of my furniture — the bed, wardrobes, desk, bookshelves, chairs, and more. I didn’t just want to tidy up; I wanted to transform the entire space. I measured each piece of furniture, brainstorming how to fit everything differently to create a fresh, revitalized atmosphere as I stepped into the new year. The thought of it filled me with excitement and anticipation, but despite my enthusiasm, I still hadn’t found the time to put my plans into action. The clutter and dust lingered, untouched.
Finally, I summoned the determination to tackle the task this week. It took tremendous effort to declutter and part with items I no longer needed. Moving the heavy mattress, the storage box bed frame, the desk, and the shelves to new positions in the room required every ounce of strength I could muster. To make things worse, the flying dust triggered my allergies, which stubbornly refused to subside. But the hard work paid off — it completely transformed the space. Now, it’s a much more comfortable and welcoming place to sleep, exercise, read, and work.
The process of tidying and cleaning my room became more than just a physical task — it became a spiritual practice of soul cleansing. As I swept away the dust, I thought of confessing my sins and repenting before God. As I removed the items I no longer wanted in the room, I reflected on letting go of the mental clutter that was occupying space in my mind, making room for what truly matters. Rearranging the furniture made me think about reorganizing my daily schedule, becoming more aware of God’s work and voice, and learning to embrace the unforced rhythms of grace (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG). As I placed the books on the shelves, I considered the things I allow into my mind through what I watch, read, and listen to. I arranged the books in a way that felt right to me, rekindling my passion for reading and learning. By reclaiming the physical space in the room, I felt like I was reclaiming space in my heart. I prayed, asking God to take hold of me once again.
Psalm 51:10-12 ESV
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
This process also brought to mind the short allegory, “My Heart, Christ’s Home” by Robert Boyd Munger. The story imagines a believer’s heart as a house where Jesus comes to dwell. It uses the metaphor of various rooms to represent different aspects of a person’s life, showing what it means to surrender every part of oneself to Christ. In the story, the narrator welcomes Jesus into their heart, inviting Him to make it His home. As Jesus moves through the house, He visits different rooms, each symbolizing a particular area of the believer’s life: the Library (the mind), the Dining Room (appetites and desires), the Living Room (devotion and fellowship), the Workroom (talents and skills), the Rec Room (associations, friendships, activities, and amusements), and the Hall Closet (hidden sins and secrets). Now that Jesus is in our hearts, is He merely a guest or visitor? Or are we surrendering the lordship of our heart to Him, allowing Him to be the true Master of our lives?
📺 Create In Me (Psalm 51) (feat. Jessica Fox)
📑 Lyrics