Those of you who indulge in social media on the internet will know that it can be amusing, exciting, annoying and above all else, a huge eater of time. Occasionally there will be something that is so incredibly useful that it makes the many hours looking at pictures of grumpy cats worthwhile.

I came across just one of those things recently.

Alongside the web pages encouraging the reader to give up cheese for Lent, or stop drinking, or take up running, was a blog suggesting a far more satisfying and ultimately helpful idea. Titled ’40 bags in 40 days’, the idea is that over a forty day period in the spring (coinciding with the 40 days of Lent) you focus on cleaning one area of your home per day. In this one area you challenge yourself to declutter, simplify, and get rid of things you simply don’t need. The aim is one bag a day but you can have more or less.

And what happens to all the bags of stuff? It can get organised, donated, given to a family member or friend, put on Freecycle, get sold on Ebay, or go into the rubbish. Just get it out of your house.

Making space is not just something for the place where we live. In the weeks leading up to Easter, we can also make room for God. The busyness of life fills our time in the same way that possessions can take over our homes, and when there is space there is an opportunity to reawaken our relationship with Jesus.

As we approach the high point of the Christian year, I’ll be making an effort to fill up 40 bags in 40 days from around my home. I’ll also be looking to make these 40 days a time of renewed focus on Jesus and what I know that he’s done for each and every one of us. Why not join me?

(March 2015)