The drawer of my refrigerator finally wouldn’t open. It was officially stuck. As nasty as this sounds, an opened can of orange juice concentrate had spilled four months ago, and I kept meaning to clean off the sticky muck and yet I just didn’t get around to it. So after letting my food run completely down to the condiments, I knew it was just time to dive in.
I started washing the doors, the glass, the crevices… there was more orange juice than I ever knew was there. Some of it had started turning black with other things sticking to it and needed extra elbow grease and random tools just to get it out.
After a few hours, it was sparkling. It was clean which somehow made my entire kitchen feel better. The windows were open, and spring felt as if it was just trying to come in to say, “Hello.” And then I just started crying.
Why do we do that? I hate crying! My Grandma always used to tell me, “Crying cleanses the soul.” And I would reply, “Then Grandma, I am squeaky clean.”
I guess my tears meant my soul needed a little spring cleaning of its own.
Something about seeing the muck of my fridge which I knew was there, and yet purposely let stay, made me realize that I do that in my own life. I know that there is gunk I need to clean up and get rid of but the energy it takes just seems like too much. So I stay. I sit in a place that needs to be tended to instead of taking the time to change it. To make it better, to make me better.
Do you do that too?
Is there something in your life that you have been meaning to “clean up” and need to take a pause to act on? Something that if removed would put you in a much better place?
This spring – dive in friends. Choose the crevices in your life that need attention and pray for God to give you the courage to clean it up.
You deserve it. You are way more important than a sticky fridge with orange juice splatters. So allow God to tend to you. Before you notice the dust bunnies and dirty windows, figure out where in your own life the gunk is hiding and say a simple prayer asking God to remove it. Start this spring off right – let God rejuvenate an area of your life where you need it the most.
