Spring Cleaning

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There is just something about spring that motivates me to get rid of all the dust bunnies, clean the baseboards, clean out the closets, the kitchen cabinets and gulp, all the windows – inside and out!  It makes me a-good-kind-of-tired just thinking about it!

But there’s another kind of spring cleaning I want to write about today – the cleaning up of myself!  Oh yes, I tend to shower daily, thank you very much, but that’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m referring to getting rid of the dirt and grime that may have accumulated on the inside.

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (Eph. 5:26).

I once heard this statement, ” What’s on the inside will eventually show up on the outside.”  In order to be sparkling clean on the outside, we must clean up the inside.

We can call them bad habits or the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15)  You know those little annoying things we occasionally catch ourselves doing.  Most of them are not on purpose.  But I believe that I should always be striving to be a better person – to myself and to others.

So, I rounded up a few little dust bunnies that may be trying to hide deep inside.  When we spring clean, we don’t just clean on the surface, we have to get down and dirty!   Sometimes we have to search high and low to find the hidden cobwebs and sweep them away.

1.  Complaining

One meaning of this word is to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about a state of affairs or an event.  The Hebrew definition of this word is to stop or stay the same.  So, if I complain, I stay the same.  Got it.  Stop complaining.  Medical Science has proven that when we speak something out loud concerning ourselves, our brain tells our bodies to get busy and make it happen.  That’s why when we say things like “I’m tired,” our bodies will begin to feel even more tired.  But the Bible taught this fact way before medical science caught on.  (Mark 11:23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

2.  Worrying

We can’t change one single thing by worrying.  I learned this years ago.  And every time I find myself faced with an opportunity to worry, I think about this passage of scripture, Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  (Matthew 6:34)

Worry causes wrinkles – that’s an excellent reason to stop worry in it’s tracks!  Here’s another verse about worrying: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  (I Pet. 5:7).  Worrying will not change a situation.  But prayer will!

3.  Gossiping

One meaning of gossip is casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.  Another meaning is talking about something that doesn’t concern you.

I would dare to say that we have all gossiped at one time or another, whether we meant to or not.  And I’m sometimes amazed at how some women will throw other women under the bus at a drop of a hat. A minister that I greatly respect once said, “It doesn’t make your candle burn any brighter by putting someone else’s out.”

Here’s what the Bible says about gossiping:  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly (Prov. 18:8).  He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips (Prov. 20:19).  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.  

A talebearer and a gossiper is one and the same.  Words can heal or words can kill.  We need to be careful that we always speak words of life and encouragement. Let’s make it a point to see the good in other people, realizing that we are all God’s creation.  I’ve often told my girls, “If your friends will talk about someone else to you, they will talk about you to someone else.”  A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends (Prov. 16:28).

If we have found ourselves harboring some of these dust bunnies, we need to pray and repent.  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

The one thing I do like about this type of spring cleaning is that I don’t have to do it all by myself!  If I could make myself clean, I wouldn’t need Jesus,the author and finisher of my faith!

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

This type of spring cleaning will not only leave us squeaky clean on the inside, but it will surely make us sparkle and shine on the outside.  Does that mean I will never again do any of the above?  Oh, the temptation will always be there but it’s up to me as to whether I will indulge in destructive habits.  If it’s to be, it’s up to me!

Care to add anything to my list?  Happy spring cleaning!