Spring Cleaning for the Heart

‘Tis the season for spring cleaning. Though there are debates regarding how spring cleaning came to be a tradition, many individuals view spring as the best time to deep clean their homes.

If you are anything like me, then your home isn’t the only thing that needs to be deep cleaned. Just as dust gathers on drapes and grime accumulates on windows, complacency and sin can collect in our hearts during the dormant, winter seasons in our spiritual walks. The signs of spring we see all around us are powerful reminders to search our hearts and rid them of debris and stains. Though I wrote about this topic several years ago (see the post here), I’m revisiting the topic today because it is as relevant as ever.

There is no question that I have a long way to go before I live the way God has called His followers to live. As I go through the routines of life, I notice that I often respond to situations with feelings of anxiety, judgement, jealousy, or pessimism. I know these aren’t the right responses, so I’ll grow frustrated with myself. This frustration isn’t productive because it rarely leads to action. What if, instead of growing frustrated with myself and stewing in this frustration, I took action? What if I approached the failings in my heart as I would approach spring cleaning in my home?

• Clearing clutter. To clear a cluttered closet or drawer, I’d toss out unneeded items. What unneeded matters clutter my heart? Grudges? Unreasonable expectations? Envy? Fears about the future? It’s time to throw them out.
• Washing windows. To clean windows, I’d spray and wipe until they were crystal clear. What grime mars my outlook on life? Lies I’m told by the world? The instinct to promote myself? The praises or criticisms of others? It’s time to wipe my perspective clear.
• Dusting surfaces. To polish surfaces, I’d wipe dust off the shelves and brush away the cobwebs that have formed in the corners. What dust and webs have settled on or entangled me? Guilt about past sins? Laziness? Uncertainty about which action to take? It’s time to freshen the surfaces.
• Scrubbing floors. To clean the floor, I’d get on my hands and knees and scrub with soap until the lather broke up the grime. What grime stains my heart? Habits I just can’t seem to break? Deep-seated attitudes that need to change? It’s time to apply a little pressure and scrub until the muck dissipates.
• Reorganizing spaces. To reorganize a storage space, I’d neatly set each item in its place. What priorities need to be rearranged in my life? How much time I spend on social media? How much effort I put into exercising and eating right? How often I pray? It’s time to get organized and put everything in its place.

I’m spring cleaning my heart this season. It’ll take as much (if not more) effort than cleaning my home. My starting point is Psalm 51:

“Create for me a pure heart, O God. Renew a resolute spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (NET)

This spring, as the bright warmth illuminates and generates life out of quiescent winter, what cleaning do you need to do in your heart?

Shared at the following:

Busy Monday, Encouraging Hearts and Home, and Over the Moon.