Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10, NIV).
My mom grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch country, with a deep tradition of spring cleaning. She passed along the habit to me, although I’ve never managed to emulate her degree of thoroughness. Each year, as soon as winter retreated enough to let us open the windows, she’d dive in to days of hard work. She’d pull everything from a room, scrub the walls and floors, and wash the windows. Then she polished the furniture and also used the time to sort through drawers and declutter, wash curtains and linens, and flip mattresses.
I groaned when she recruited me to dust endless bookshelves, or hand-buff the wood floors. But I have to admit that the scent of lemon polish and freshly washed curtains billowing in the crisp spring air was intoxicating.
Every time I read psalm 51, I think of spring cleaning. Repentance is a time to fling wide the windows of my soul and invite the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit to enter. It’s a time to invite Jesus to sort through the clutter I’ve accumulated and toss out the little pet sins that grow like dust bunnies.
He might push aside a larger dresser so I can see the dirt that’s piled up behind it, or throw open a window shade so the light reveals where my spirit needs some polishing. He frequently uses Scripture to show me the actions, words or attitudes that He wants to clear out. Other times a friend might gently point out a blind spot, or I’ll hear a sermon that convicts me. Sometimes He’ll even show me the mess in my heart by letting me witness a similar problem in someone else. When I’m offended by someone’s action, I’ve learned to take a peek into the rooms of my soul, because it’s often a clue that I’m battling with that same root issue.
The wonderful part of inviting Jesus to spring-clean my heart is that I don’t have to wait for spring. It can be a daily celebration of His forgive- ness and the transformation He brings to my life.
FAITH STEP: Invite Jesus to clean every nook and cranny of your heart.
Written by Sharon Hinck
