Spiritual Spring Cleaning
By Kari Lyles
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10
As my vacuum buzzed across the last few inches of hallway carpet, I inhaled a glorious waft of fresh air coming in from both of my daughter’s bedroom windows. I stepped back for a moment to admire the fruits of my labor -- two newly rearranged bedrooms. Spring was in the air and I had caught the fever.
Winding up the cord to my vacuum, a smile crossed my face as I imagined my first grader’s excitement when she arrived home from school to find a room that would now seem so new. My 3-year-old had happily directed me as to where she thought her bed and dresser should be moved and was now enjoying her fresh space engrossed in a book.
As I finished picking things up and throwing things away, my mind wandered to the similarities of what I had just done in my daughters’ rooms with what the Lord desires to do in us.
“Lord,” I asked, “would you please do a ‘spiritual spring cleaning’ in me?”
Have you ever felt that way? Perhaps, like me, there are some cobwebs in the corners of your heart that you have allowed to collect there because it’s a chore to remove them. Or, maybe your mind has not been focused on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely or admirable. Rather, you’ve been meditating on the messes you or others have made or are making.
One of the verses in a song called “Welcome Home” by Shaun Groves says, “Welcome to this heart of mine, I’ve buried under prideful vines, grown to hide the mess I’ve made, inside of me come decorate Lord.”
As we approach spring, will you join me in letting the Lord inside to do a little “spiritual spring cleaning”? Will you allow Him to bring down a few walls, sweep out some of the cobwebs and spread some love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?
Happy Spring!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What areas of your heart and mind need to be pure and right before the Lord? Ask Him to reveal those areas and help you surrender the cleaning to Him.
FURTHER READING:
Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:22
Kari is a wife and mother to two girls ages 9 and 5. She works as a regional sales manager at MAX-R in Sussex and is involved in Oakwood’s drama ministry.
