Spiritual Hoarding is a Real Thing
We have all heard stories about hoarders, but is spiritual hoarding a real thing? Have you ever walked the thin path through a hoarder’s home stuffed with stuff they will never use again but can’t throw away because they think they may need it one day? Things like newspapers and magazines stacked to the ceiling, a million Cool Whip bowls, old clothes, disintegrating cardboard boxes overflowing with who knows what. There’s barely enough space to sit or sleep or find the refrigerator.
This is coming from a girl who has hosted many garage sales over the years, because I hate clutter. If an item has not been used or worn in the prior twelve months, it is officially eligible to find a new home.
I have meandered the narrow trail through a hoarder’s abode and was terrified. I found it heart-breaking, hard to breathe, depressing, and very sad.
However, something even far worse is a spiritual hoarder. Yes, spiritual hoarding is a real thing, and I find it extremely prevalent in the hearts and lives of Americans. In fact, there are more spiritual hoarders in this world than hoarder-hoarders.
We keep things to ourselves. God saves our soul through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and we hesitate to share that Good News with others. God pours His love and grace into our hearts and lives, and we bask in it alone. He reveals Himself to us in His Word, and we don’t tell others. We learn valuable God-breathed lessons through life’s experiences and keep that knowledge inside. God blesses us with material and financial blessings only to consume His generosity on ourselves. A spiritual hoarder is a travesty in the Kingdom of God!
God did not save me and bless my life with good things to end with me. He has blessed me so I can bless someone else. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
God never intends for us to hoard His blessings, individually or collectively. The collective hoarder is the neighborhood church with a large bank account and very little outreach. “Go into all the world” (Mark 16:15) includes our school, workplace, neighborhood, and favorite recreational spot. We must all strive to be conduits and not just containers.
One thing is sure, we will take nothing with us when we leave this world (Job 1:21). We own nothing. God has given us everything we say is ours (1 Chron. 29:14). He wants us to be generous with our faith and worldly possessions. Therefore, let’s be thankful and enjoy the blessings of the Lord, then share those blessings with others. “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matt. 10:8).
Yes, spiritual hoarding is a real thing. However, I think we can all do a better job at being blessing-distributors.
“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Pro. 11:24-25).