Spring Cleaning
Reflection
Growing up in Upstate New York, spring became my favorite season because the mounds of snow and cold gave way to drastically different weather. Never sure when it would actually stop snowing, we would wait expectantly for spring to come in the form of warmer weather, green grass, and daffodils. In Georgia, spring announces its arrival by coating everything with a thick layer of yellow pollen. But no matter where you live and no matter what month spring actually arrives, there is a natural inclination to clean up the yard, plant flowers, and refresh one’s home on the outside. I find that this desire for purging, decluttering, and organizing happens on the inside of my home, too. As I take stock of the yard, the empty pots waiting for flowers, the clutter of clothes that need purging in the closet, I am moved to action. Spring ignites a vision for newness, order, and beauty.
Application
In our spiritual lives, we can succumb to the doldrums of winter . . . in any season! Our time with the Lord becomes less consistent, we have quick, perfunctory prayers, and we make our days all about us with little focus on what God wants or might be trying to get our attention about. We go about our daily routine in hopes that God gives us our daily bread without really considering Him. What could be vibrant and fruitful becomes dull and honestly, disconnected from the source of strength, power, and beauty. We need to take stock of our spiritual lives.
In James 4:4, we read harsh truth, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the work becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?”
God desires a vibrant and fruitful relationship with us. Like a weed-filled garden or a messy closet, we can grow accustomed to the condition of these spaces and lack compunction to eradicate what is lacking beauty. Our friendship with the world, we invite the mess, become comfortable with it while it brings death and dullness.
But God in his kindness, gives grace. Hear the verses that follow in James 4: 6-10:
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded , Grieve, mourn, and wail, Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
These verses in James call us to self-examination with the Holy Spirit to guide us. They call us to take stock of our lives, mourn and grieve the messes, and to draw near to the source of grace and hope.
Closing/conclusion
I pray that I will not only take stock of the condition of my deck outside and my closets this year as I spruce up spaces, but that I will also purge the junk in my heart. I pray that I will deal honestly with the pull toward this world that never satisfies. I pray that you and I will have a spiritual sprig cleaning and will draw near to the source of strength, beauty, and truth.
Maryellen