The Spring Cleaning of Our Hearts
The season of Lent is upon us. And while we are technically still in Winter, we know that spring is coming. And often times that means we will be rummaging through our closets and drawers and getting rid of those things that we no longer can wear or no longer want to wear. We might even wonder, “Did I ever wear this?”
This is a great metaphor for the same sort of cleaning that we ought to be doing during Lent. This is a season to do a self-examination of our hearts, and ask ourselves some tough questions: do I love myself? And if I don’t love myself, how can I possibly love my neighbor? And if I am not loving myself or my neighbor, can I honestly say that I am loving God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength?
The good news is that God has already determined a long time ago that no matter how far we may fall off the wagon, God is never going to give up on us. God, with dogged determination and endless patience, always is ready to show mercy and forgiveness. Once we clean out some of the clutter from our heart that keeps us from giving and receiving love, God will be there with joy, happy to help us rearrange the furniture of our souls and live in harmony with us.