I recently read a definition of peace that I’d never heard before.

“The conscious possession of adequate resources.”

Ummm . . . wow.

Possessions? I’ve got plenty.

Adequate? Yes. Even though sometimes the budget feels tight, we have clothes to wear every day, food to eat for every meal and lots of snacks, and a climate controlled home with beds for each one of us.

Resources? Yes. Whenever we need something, we get it. If the air conditioner breaks, or the deep-freeze dies, or I start seeing more spiders than I want to see (like 2) . . . we are able to buy what we need or pay someone to come out and fix these problems. We might have to move a few things around in the budget, but we’ve never had to go without.

And yet, a cluttered home steals my peace. Which element of that definition am I missing?

Consciousness.

I call it different things. Focus. Selective Vision. Awareness.

When I get caught up in the busy things of life, whether it be a play I’m directing, a crisis, even a project around the house, I start to get tunnel-vision and don’t see the things around me. The things around me then spiral out of control and my peace is gone.

If I want peace, I have to be conscious. Conscious of what I have. Conscious of the state it is in.

If stuff is left in a pile . . . I only see what is on top of the pile. I can’t be conscious of what’s at the bottom of that pile. Therefore, I lose my peace. Realistically, that pile contains everything I need. If it’s three feet high, I could probably assume that there are enough clothes there for an entire week.

But assuming isn’t good enough. It doesn’t provide the peace that my soul craves.

Take apart the pile, see that the individual pieces I need really are there, put them in order . . . and I breathe easier.

Peace.

This journey to an orderly home is a journey to peace. Many times, I’ve decluttered an area and sighed, “Ahhh, space.” It’s not the emptiness that gives me peace, it’s the consciousness. Knowing exactly what I have keeps me from longing for more. It gives me peace.

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I read this definition of peace in my materials from the study of John that I did in Bible Study Fellowship last year. If you’re looking for peace in your relationship with God, I highly recommend BSF. It is an international non-denominational organization, not associated with any church, and focuses solely on the study of the Bible.