Downsizing
September 20, 2022 by Gil Killam
Filed under Daily Devotions
By Gillis Killam –
Over the past three months my wife and I have been downsizing. In the past we have moved a number of times, but this last move was very different. Moving to a smaller space made us look at everything we possessed, and decide what we needed. We found that there were many things that were no longer useful although good in their day. There were memorabilia: pictures, videos, DVDs, letters, cards, poems from special occasions; then there was furniture we didn’t have room for so asked the family and others if there was something they would like. Some items were taken but most people already had their houses filled and didn’t want any more.
We decided that a good piece of advice to others would be to not wait until you are in your late 70’s to do this. One should do it year by year, or at least every other year! We had to get rid of a lot of things that for years had been just taking up space and were no longer needed. We took most of it to organizations that distribute items to those in need.
This caused me to think that we should not wait to the last minute to clear up our lives from grudges, feelings, and thoughts that have cluttered our minds over the years. We should make sure we are right with God and have our sins forgiven (1 John 1:9-10). We should ask forgiveness of anyone we have wronged; we should do the things we should have done many years ago.
We all accumulate unresolved relationships, practices or habits that we know we need to put away because they are not God’s will for us. There may be things that are not wrong in themselves but take up too much of our time and occupy a place that should belong to God or our family. The writer to the Hebrews said, “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV).
I was reminded of the scripture which tells us to put off the old life and put on the new which is renewed in righteousness. “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 KJV).
Prayer: Search me, O God; help me to remove those things which hinder Your will in my life.
Gil Killam was born in New Brunswick, Canada and served as pastor in 4 pastorates in Saskatchewan & Alberta, Canada. Gil is married to his wife Lorna and they have 5 children, 14 Grandchildren and 5 great grand children. He is a graduate of Eston College with a Bachelor of Biblical Studies degree. He also served President of his denomination. Gil enjoys golfing and reading in his spare time.