By Julia Charleston
Spring has sprung! It’s time to get out the cleaning tools and supplies to spruce up the house. Rake the remaining leaves on the grass, plant flowers, and add pine straw to the flower beds. Wash away last year’s dirt off the windows, inside and out, and give the kitchen cabinets a facelift of PineSol. Then freshen up the floors with a new coat of wax. Closets and drawers are more places to declutter, purging items no longer worn.
My personal spring-cleaning mantra is: If it hasn’t been used in the last year, then it’s considered clutter.
We take the time to purge the clutter and dirt from our homes every year, but what about our hearts? Do we take inventory of what is deep inside of us, clouding our view? Do we cry out to God, lamenting about the things in our lives that are out of our control?
Sometimes unforgiveness blocks our view, making it difficult to see. Is there bitterness, anger, frustration, sadness, depression, or pride settled in your spirit like dust bunnies underneath the couch? We require God to understand we’ve had a hard year, and life almost took us down. Verbal purge helps us let go of all that clutter, and allows God to use our tears to wipe clean the past years’ debris and dirt from our heart’s window.
Comparing spring cleaning our homes to the idea of purging the clutter from our body, mind, and spirit makes sense. Ridding our hearts of the litter that has settled for the last year, or perhaps longer, is a discipline we should consider including in our spiritual journey. Asking God to replace old ugly habits and negative attitudes with new ideas for a healthier outlook on life will help us make ourselves a priority- taking good care of ourselves so we can help others.
“Then Joshua told the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.’” ~Joshua 3:5 [NLT]
What does it mean to “purify yourself?” In a word, it means to purge.
Next question, how do I purify myself?
One great way to purge is to pray and fast. This discipline will allow you to focus on God and His Love to strengthen your faith. Rather than focusing on the negative things that hold us down, we can incorporate positive actions and attitudes into our daily walk. Not only do fasting and prayer allow a fresh new start, but it also helps break the yoke of bondage and releases God’s presence, power, and provision.
I don’t know about you, but I feel so accomplished when my house is clean, organized, and clutter-free. Imagine how much greater you would feel with a clutter-free body, mind, and soul.
And the best part: as you rake up the weeds of negativity, God takes your junk to be the healthiest you can be!
And the next best part: The Foundry Thrift Stores will take your gently used clothing and items as you purge your home. It’s a win/win! Click here to donate to our thrift store.
See you next time.
~Julia
