Four Steps to More Contentment and Less Clutter

When my son Will was very young–probably about eighteen months—we made the daring decision to take him with us to dinner at a nice restaurant. We were on vacation and thought it would be great to treat ourselves to a dinner that didn’t come out of a box. And for some reason, we thought our active eighteen-month-old would cooperate.

I remember sitting at the restaurant, reading the menu with visions of steak and lobster dancing in my head. Will was munching on the relish tray the waiter had set out as an appetizer. About the time Susie and I were set to order our scrumptious meal, Will pushed up in his high chair and announced in toddler-speak, “All doe!” (Read—All done!). We were done indeed. There was no chance of getting that kid to sit there long enough for us to order, much less wait for and then eat our gourmet meal. He was done, and so were we.

How do you know when you have enough? What does it take to call “all done” in the pursuit of more, to push back from the table and determine that your cup is full? With college tuition, car payments, kids’ weddings or an uncertain economy still looming in the future, how can we possibly ever get to the point of really having enough? Beyond that, our society thrives on spending; it’s what drives our economy. Isn’t it downright unpatriotic to not support our economy by deciding we have enough? How do you really know where to draw the line, and then how do you have the courage to draw it?

Here is a simple four-step process I use to determine my enough. I bet it will work for you too.

1. Take a look around. Do an inventory of everything you have–your clothes and furnishings, your checking, savings, stocks, retirement, etc., all the stuff hidden under beds and in the attic, basement or storage. Write it all down. Chances are it’s more than you thought.

2. Say out loud, “This is enough.” That’s right, whether it’s a lot or a little, name it enough. Because chances are you have more than enough for what you need today.

3. Look to God for your future. Psalm 121:1-2 says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Your hope for tomorrow is not in your ability to earn money or in your 401K. It’s in God. He always gives you enough for your right now, so look to him for your tomorrow as well.

4. Find a need and meet it. Find someone who lives with much less than you and help them. When you see how they live you’ll get a whole new perspective on what you have. You’ll see that your enough really is way more than enough.

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