Greetings in Christ! I hope you all have had a wonderful Easter season. I pray your spring is going well, too! Spring is a magical time of year. Despite the unpredictable weather, it is a time of renewal. The buds on the trees and bushes are starting to open, the flowers have begun to shoot out of the soil, and the smell of cleaning fluid is in the air. That’s right. Spring also means spring-cleaning.
There’s something refreshing about cleaning your home and property this time of year. We’ve been shut up in our houses, confined by the snow and harsh cold of winter, choosing a hot cup of tea in front of the fire with a book instead of trying to wash the windows or scrape the oven.
Despite cleaning not being fun, we get a satisfaction and a feeling of cleansing of ourselves when we do this, especially when we are finished. It’s like a burden falls off of us and we can breathe easier.
Since we are doing all of this for our homes, why not also do some spring cleaning for our body, mind, and spirits? As humans, we often let the weather dictate our feelings. In this season of renewal, consider using this time to examine your internal burdens. Think about the things in the past and ask yourself, “Is this worth holding on to? Is it useful to my spiritual growth?”
There may be many things in the past that come to our thoughts that do nothing but try to diminish our self-worth. Jesus told the story of the tares among the wheat. When the land owner saw the weeds, he said, “an enemy has done this.”
These thoughts that occur to us are the enemy trying to convince us that we are less than worthy of the Kingdom. But let us use that knowledge that it is not from ourselves, and take those burdens, clean them out as best we can, and remember what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. In this spiritual spring cleaning, let us also remember to forgive ourselves. The Lord has already forgiven you. It is ok to do that for yourself. Unburden yourself and take that breath of clean, fresh, heavenly air!
Peace and blessings always,
Pastor Brian
First United Methodist Church, Hudson, MI 