Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Clutter.
We push it under the bed, sweep it under the rug, and bury it in the deep depths of our closets.
Don’t try to deny it, we are all guilty of it!
This was exactly what my sister, Beth, was doing while unpacking from a week-long trip. With a busy, chatty one-year-old, she doesn’t really have time to do too much organizing.
While stuffing some things away, she caught herself saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Out of sight, out of mind along with the Sara Claudia Tillman Ministries logo.
It’s so easy for us to forget about the things that we do not see, isn’t it?
In my situation, however, I would literally forget about everything if I adopted this mindset.
As someone who is blind, everything is out of my sight, so I must make the conscious effort to keep everything that is unseen in my mind.
I have to constantly keep track of where I put my keys, where I left that cardigan, and where I stuffed the Christmas decorations in the closet last year.
If you think this sounds exhausting, it is!
There are so many times that I wish I could just forget it all and say, “Out of sight, out of mind”.
Are piles of clutter, unsightly messes, and knick-knacks the only things for which we adopt this mindset?
Or, do we sometimes unintentionally relate the “Out of sight, out of mind” slogan to God?
It's definitely not something we want to admit, but I’ll be the first to say that I have not always kept my mind and focus on the Lord.
He is unseen, so when it is convenient for us, it can be easy to sweep Him under the rug or deep into the back of the closet.
Luke 11:34-35 says,
“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness.”
The “eye” that the Scripture is referring to is actually not your physical eye but what you focus on in your life.
Our physical eyes focus literally on objects around us, but we also turn our attention to other concerns through our minds, how we think, and what we hold important.
If we focus on worldly concerns, pain, and sin, or if we choose to turn our eyes away from the Lord altogether, we can become consumed with the darkness that these aspects bring.
However, this passage emphasizes the importance of ensuring that we are focusing on the right things.
Tall, white cross with a sunset behind it on top of rocks.
When our focus is “healthy”, we are concerned with the Lord, His commands, and His promises.
With this focus, we ensure that our whole being and our lives are filled with the light that can only come from being filled with the Holy Spirit.
While it may feel good at the moment to quickly stuff our clutter away out of our sight, it often can come back to kick us later.
It may in fact become downright impossible to find that book, sweater, or favorite Christmas ornament when we need it again.
Likewise, it may be easier at the moment to push God out of our sights instead of feeling convicted from His teaching and guidance.
However, we are so much better off in the long run when we continue to focus on Him.
When we keep Him in our sights, it will be that much easier to remember that He is always right here by our sides.
What are you focused on today?
How can you ensure that you are keeping God in your sight so that He will always stay on your mind and in your heart?
