BY RACHEL WOJO, DAYSPRING.COM
Each spring arrives in God’s perfect timing, and this year is no different. The signs of spring’s arrival are promising progress! Last week the brave, first flowers appeared in their beds, contrasting their pretty purple hues and dark green leaves against the dull mulch. Several mornings I awoke to the music of birds chirping loudly and the sound of squirrels skipping through branches.
The refreshing sights and sounds of spring bring winter to a close and new life is ushered in. Sweet breezes blow fresh air through open windows and the natural seasonal celebration begs to be accompanied. After the dingy snowbanks of late winter have melted away, there’s nothing more invigorating than the opportunity to rejuvenate your home, and a spiritual spring cleaning is even more welcome in this season. As I’ve walked through the house, I’ve felt the itch. You know the one? The desire to restore a crisp, clean feel to all surfaces, purging or refurbishing the old and embracing the new.
This inexplicable urgency to scrub and declutter every nook and cranny encourages a new spirit of energy. I’m ready to join in this seasonal cleaning by breaking out the mops, brooms and dusters. I’ve already purchased extra cleaning supplies and new replacement scrub brushes for the time I’ve set aside to work on extra scouring and eliminating.
Yesterday, as I glanced at my planner and saw the words “spring cleaning,” I thought about what might happen if I included thoughts of organizing and reviving my soul and spirit along with the house.
As a “list kind of girl,” these thoughts quickly expanded into a few points. How does one “spring clean” her spirit? Inspired by the methods of seasonal housekeeping, here are a few ideas for spring self care and soul care:
Purge any old attitudes and allow myself the freedom to move into a new season.
It’s easy to fall into maintaining a certain spirit continually, even if that train of thought doesn’t line up with God’s Word. What if I asked God to remove this attitude and embraced newfound spiritual independence to move forward? Ask Jesus to scrub my heart clean again as I request forgiveness and forgive myself. I remember hearing a sermon once about keeping short accounts with God. The pastor explained that being close to Jesus meant not only forgiving others, but embracing forgiveness for myself. What about enjoying his grace anew?
Clean out the cobwebs of negative thoughts.
Grab a rag and dust “I can’t do this” and “This will never work” right out of the corner and into the trash. Discarding negative thought patterns and latching on to spiritual truths will deliver a renewed spirit. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience a vivacious, positive thought life?
Take inventory of my spiritual routines and spruce them up as needed.
Restore stale relationships by connecting and showing love again. Call or text a friend you haven’t seen in a while. This spring, let’s spend a little quiet time with God, maybe even while we’re dusting, mopping and decluttering. Because, what better time to refresh your soul than during spring cleaning? Let’s invite Him to show us what we might need to “clean up” in order to grow deeper in our faith and closer to our Father.
