Room to Move

I remember going to my first ACL fest in 2016. I saw a few rappers, including Chance the Rapper, Drake, and J. Cole for the headliner. One thing I remember was how uncomfortably crowded it was. There was no room to move. People were shoulder to shoulder, packed in so tightly that even shifting my weight felt like a group decision. I had a fun time, but there were moments when I couldn’t wait to get some fresh air and water.

Sometimes our lives feel the same way.

We have too much going on. Too many distractions. Too many people reaching out to us. Too many responsibilities. Too much noise. Too much clutter. It gets hard to breathe, focus, and enjoy what is right in front of us.

When I was thinking about this, I was reminded of the very first verse of the Bible, which says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Before He filled the earth with beauty and life, He first made room for it.
He separated light from darkness.
He separated the waters so dry ground could appear.
He didn’t skip steps.
He had to make space before He moved.

And He’s still doing that today.

Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) When we walk with Him, He creates space in our lives to move freely, to grow, and to breathe.

But here’s the flip side: Sometimes, God doesn’t need to make room. We do.

We’ve filled every corner of our lives with stuff. Our minds are so crowded with distractions, voices, and habits, that we can no longer hear the voice of God. We don’t have room for the new because we are constantly having to fight through the old, the old habits, the negative thought patterns, and the dead weight relationships holding us down. It’s not that God hasn’t been moving; it’s that we haven’t made room for Him to move.

So maybe today is clean-out day. Whether that’s physically, mentally, or spiritually. Maybe you’ve been praying for God to do something new and spectacular in your life, but you have to first make room for it.

The truth is, God doesn’t pour new wine into old wineskins. (Mark 2:22) He won’t force His way into our lives. He waits for us to clear the space, make room, open the door, and surrender control to Him. When you do, watch God do exceedingly and abundantly above all that you ask, think, or imagine in your life. (Ephesians 3:20)

Practical steps to make room for God’s movement:

1. Declutter: Clean your space, home, workspace, or car. A tidy space clears the mind.
2. Evaluate priorities: Reassess what’s taking up your time. Let go of what drains you.
3. Set boundaries: Say no to distractions to make room for what matters most.
4. Create quiet time: Spend daily moments in silence to hear God’s voice more clearly.
5. Let go of the old: Release habits, relationships, or mindsets that hold you back.

The Bigger Picture: God gives us room to move but we must also make room in our lives for Him to move.