Can You Declutter Your Spiritual Life by Cleaning Your Closet?
The biblical principle that what you do in private ultimately promotes you in public is a timeless truth that echoes through Scripture and life. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.” This “secret place” is where character is forged, priorities are aligned, and increase is cultivated. In my book, Seven Laws Which Govern Increase and Order, I explore how order in the unseen realms of life unlocks success in the visible. One vivid metaphor for this is the principle of “Clean Your Closet.” Here are five key points to understand its power.
1. You Can Declutter Your Spiritual Life because the Closet Reflects Your Inner Life
Your closet—both literal and metaphorical—is a private space that reveals your true self. A cluttered, chaotic closet often mirrors a cluttered mind or spirit. In Seven Laws, I emphasize that order precedes increase. Just as you wouldn’t invite guests to rummage through a disorganized wardrobe, God doesn’t promote a life lacking discipline in private. Cleaning your closet is an act of stewardship, signaling readiness for greater responsibility. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift makes room for him,” but it’s the private preparation that ensures the room is worth entering.
2. You Can Declutter Your Spiritual Life because Private Discipline Yields Public Reward
We cannot underestimate the truth in this principle — the preparation that no one sees puts you on the platform for everyone to see. What you do when no one is watching determines what you’ll sustain when everyone is. Jesus’ life exemplified this: He withdrew to solitary places to pray before performing miracles in public. The secret place isn’t glamorous—it’s where you wrestle with temptation, refine your motives, and build resilience. In the book, I note that “the unseen governs the seen.” A clean closet, free of hidden messes, reflects a heart aligned with purpose, positioning you for promotion when the spotlight inevitably shines.
3. You Can Declutter Your Spiritual Life because the Secret Place Purifies Your Motives
A closet isn’t just for storage; it’s where you decide what to keep and what to discard. The Closet is not for trash; it is for treasures. Similarly, the secret place is where you sift through your ambitions. Are you chasing success for ego or God’s glory? Psalm 139:23 invites God to “search me and know my heart.” Cleaning your closet—stripping away pride, envy, or greed—ensures that what emerges publicly is authentic. As I write in Seven Laws, “Purity in the hidden places releases power in the open spaces.” Promotion built on a shaky foundation crumbles; purity sustains it.
4. You Can Declutter Your Life by Creating Order Privately, Preventing Chaos Publicly
A disorganized closet spills over—clothes pile up, time is wasted, and stress mounts. What was a treasure becomes devalued. Likewise, neglecting the secret place creates disorder that eventually surfaces. The Law of Order from my book teaches that chaos is a thief of increase. Daniel’s success as a leader stemmed from his private habit of prayer, even under threat (Daniel 6:10). Cleaning your closet establishes rhythms—prayer, reflection, integrity—that anchor you when public demands intensify. Order isn’t restrictive; it’s liberating.
5. You Can Declutter Your Life Because the Secret Place Is Your Seedbed for Increase
Finally, the closet is where seeds of greatness are planted. In Matthew 13, Jesus likens the Kingdom to a mustard seed—small, hidden, yet destined to grow. Your private devotion, unseen generosity, or quiet faithfulness are seeds God waters. As I argue in Seven Laws, “Increase flows from the unseen to the seen.” Cleaning your closet isn’t just about removal; it’s about making space for what God wants to grow. Public success is merely the harvest of private sowing.
Conclusion
The principle of “Clean Your Closet” is a call to prioritize the secret place. It’s not about perfection but intentionality—ordering your private world so God can trust you with public influence. As Jesus promised, He rewards what you do in secret openly. If you want the awards of men, do what you do publically. However, if you want the rewards of God, do what you do privately. So, start today: declutter your heart, align your motives, and cultivate the unseen. Your promotion awaits where preparation has already been perfected.
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