Spring Cleaning for Your Soul
Spring cleaning...one of those things that has to be done. But what about an untidy soul?
You have it. (We all do.)
You let some of your soul clutter spill out into a conversation when you really shouldn't have.
You spoke your mind before you cleaned it up for public viewing.
You let your ugly feelings loose on someone unprepared for your garbage dump.
Your critical opinion of someone bled out at them through passive, unkind comments.
You didn't mean to. When you neglect spring cleaning in your soul, internal clutter and grime leak out and make messes in your relationships.
And it gets worse as you get older.
Maybe you don't care anymore. Or you're so used to soul clutter you think it is normal.
It's NOT.
It's part of your old self that you've neglected to deal with. Kinda like all that old stuff from your early years at college that still needs to get cleaned out of the attic.
Sometimes it is so dusty you don't even recognize it.
Or do you think everyone has one of these dusty old things, so what's the big deal?
It's a BIG deal.
The problem with soul clutter
It covers and hides the grace of God in your life.
It creates an atmosphere of unrest because something that is supposed to be in order isn't.
It wounds others and damages relationships - with yourself, your kids, your spouse, and your friend.
It is a pain in the butt to clean up ... so you don't.
It multiplies, and you've become a hoarder before you know it. Then the Spirit of God living inside you has to push your clutter out of the way to connect with you.
Here are some spring-cleaning signals that your soul is cluttered:
Scattered, confused, or distracted thinking
Feeling overwhelmed or stuck
Thoughts or feelings of condemnation, brokenness, fear, shame, anger, or depression
Unforgiveness or resentment towards someone (unkind thoughts or judgments toward them)
A strong temptation to eat worms because "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me...."
Clutter could be an attitude that isn't Jesus approved.
A habit that is second nature because it is part of your old nature.
OR any emotion that traps you in unhealthy ways of viewing your life ... the life God holds so precious.
Soul care encompasses tending to one's thoughts, emotions, and choices within the safety of God's deep love.
Now...List some ways soul clutter has shown up in your life recently.
Need more soul-cleaning tips?
When life gets messy, your mind goes crazy with cluttered thoughts, and your emotions don't play nice. Here's a self-talk script to steal: What to Do When Life Gets Messy
Age gracefully because who you are inside gets revealed for the entire world to see as you grow older and lose the will to hide your snarly self: How to Age Gracefully by Dealing With Your Snarly Self.