Praise the Lord everyone! What is on my heart this month? Well
spring has sprung! And one of the laborious chores that face many of
us is spring cleaning! (in fact my garage seriously needs it) so many
leaves have blown in throughout this windy dry winter...and they don’t
just walk out on their own, I have do the work and sweep them up and
out! Our lives can be like this as well spiritually...so my question and
teaching revolves around this question….“Do You Need a Spiritual
Spring Cleaning?”
Spring cleaning can be more than just a chore, however. It can actually
be exciting if you use the time to start cleaning up something far
greater than your house: your soul. The closer you get to Jesus – the
Light of the world – and the more you invite the Holy Spirit to blow the
fresh air of His love into your life, the more you become aware of how
messy your inner-man has become. Thankfully, there’s no sin too
messy for God to clean up when you follow His divine cleaning plan of
confession, repentance, and reconciliation.
So while you’re spring cleaning your house, invite God to clean your
soul. Here’s how:
Eliminate clutter.
Get rid of distractions that block your intimacy with God. Take an hon-
est look at what might be interfering with making your relationship
with God your top priority. Are you devoting more time and energy to
working, watching TV, shopping, playing on your phone, socializing
with friends, pursuing a hobby, or something else than you’re devoting
to time with God? How much time are you really spending doing ac-
tivities that nurture your connection with God, such as praying; partici-
pating in church; and reading, studying, and meditating on the Bi-
ble? Are frazzled thoughts cluttering your inner life, or are you making
time regularly for quiet reflection, and asking the Holy Spirit to renew
your mind? Eliminate clutter in your schedule and your mind to create
space to focus on what’s truly important.
Scrub away dirt and disinfect.
Cleanse dirty attitudes and behaviors and purify your soul. What kinds
of filthy attitudes are lurking in your soul?
Are you harboring bitterness against people who
have hurt you? Do you entertain judgmental
thoughts about people you don’t like? Are you in-
fected with anger, fear, or selfishness? How do im-
pure behaviors affect your life? Are you struggling
with a bad habit or even an addiction that causes
trouble whenever it rears its ugly head? Pray about
each dirty attitude and behavior, asking God to help
you clean up each specific one. Whenever negative
thoughts enter your mind, purposefully replace
them with positive ones that reflect biblical
truth. Whenever you’re tempted to slide back into a
bad behavior, pray for God to empower you to resist
and overcome temptation.
Vacuum.
Suck up everyday annoyances and persistent resent-
ments that will stain your soul if you let them accu-
mulate. Keep short accounts with people rather
than letting issues between you pile up and spill over
into dirty arguments. Ask God to help you learn how
to deal well with difficult people and those whose
personalities differ significantly from yours. When-
ever people offend you in minor ways, be willing to
let the issues go. Whenever people offend you in
major ways, be willing to forgive them and reconcile
if possible. Remember that God expects you to for-
give others since He has forgiven you. Trust Him to
empower you through each step in the forgiveness
process. Do all you can to live at peace with others
and resolve conflicts quickly and wisely.
Dust. Wipe away even the tiny particles of the past
that are hindering you from moving into the future
with confidence. Ask God to show you ways you
need healing from past traumas and losses. Then
patiently work through the healing process as God
leads you, from prayer and journaling to prayer
groups and counseling. Expect that each time you
deal with one layer of dust from your past, you can
see a bit more clearly as you move into the future.
Polish.
Make your relationships shine by serving others as
God leads you. Be creative about figuring out how
often you can bless others through your words and
actions. Remember that even a brief encouraging
comment or small act of kindness can make a signifi-
cant, positive difference in someone’s life.
Hebrews 3:13 (NKJV) but exhort one another daily,
while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
Every day, look for opportunities to encourage or
help the people with whom you come into con-
tact. Be willing to commit to longer-term service
(such as volunteering for special projects, or helping
in offered church ministries) when you sense God
calling you to do so. There is no greater joy I know
then serving the Lord and helping others in the King-
dom.
Organize.
Rearrange your life so you can dream new
dreams. Clear out your own agenda and invite God
to show you His dreams for your life.
Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Build your decisions for how to use your resources
(time, energy, talent, money, etc.) around pursuing
those dreams, so you can focus on what’s important
without being sidetracked by what’s urgent. Set spe-
cific and measurable goals to help you move closer
to fulfilling God’s dreams for you. Check your pro-
gress regularly, and make whatever adjustments you
need to make to keep your life organized well. ….“Do
You Need a Spiritual Spring Cleaning?”
Jesus loves you and so do I! ~ Pastor Doug
