How to Cleanse Your Heart
Spring cleaning is all about getting rid of all the clutter you may have in your closet and other areas of your home, and while it's undoubtedly worth the effort, it will likely only last for a season. Spiritual cleaning, on the other hand, could have a long-lasting influence on your life. As you give your home a deep clean, don't neglect your heart. Here are a few guidelines for cleansing your heart.
Allow God into your life to become spiritually healthy
The Bible encourages us to seek out God and allow Him into our hearts and bodies to be cleansed. Unlike with spring cleaning, we don't have the power to do spiritual cleansing on our own. We must draw close to God and ask Him to cleanse our hearts.
Psalm 51:10 – Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
James 4:8 – Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
What you say should be in line with the Word of God
Spiritual cleansing requires you to dig deep, going beyond what others can see and hear. It must be from within, inside, and out. As you cleanse your heart, you should also purge negative talk and pessimistic thoughts that go against the Word of God.
Psalm 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Luke 6:45: The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
Get rid of the impurities in your mind
Many of us struggle with keeping our minds pure. We consciously (or unconsciously) feed our minds impurities, and in turn, spew out the same. We must learn to feed our minds (and subsequently our spirits) the Word of God.
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence; if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Romans 12:2 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Cleanse out the skeletons in your spiritual closet
Hidden sin will ruin your inner peace and derail your spiritual cleansing. The Bible advises you to confess your sin, in addition to reaching out for help.
Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Psalm 32:3-5 – For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Let go of any baggage that you might be holding onto
Bitterness and unforgiveness are like old baggage that you can't seem to summon the strength to give up. You become so accustomed to it; you don’t even realize it’s weighing you down. Release bitterness and unforgiveness to cleanse your heart.
Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Ephesians 4:31-32 – Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Final Thoughts
Cleansing your heart will set you free. When you are not carrying all that baggage with you everywhere you go, you create room for good things to come into your life. And isn’t that what we all want in the end?