Spring Soul-Cleaning

Spring cleaning. It stinks and nobody likes it.

Yet when we do it, we realize something surprising–We collect junk!

Every year I’m shocked by how much garbage we’ve collected and how much grime we accumulated. I don’t feel like we collect junk or hold onto things too long, but when we take time to analyze everything we haven’t touched for a year, we see how much junk we really have.

Even though we regularly clean our house, a set time where we really clean is necessary.

Lent is a time of spring soul-cleaning. Just as you regularly clean your house but still take time to do a deep cleaning, Lent is a time to focus on getting rid of all hindrances in serving the Lord.

Sins of unforgiveness, selfishness, pride, greed, evil-speaking, etc. are the grime that adorns our lives that has so slowly accumulated we often don’t recognize it. Like a freshly shampooed carpet, we don’t realize how dirty we’ve gotten until we’ve cleaned.

What is Lent?

Lent is a period of time where the church prepares herself for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday (this year is March 1st) and runs until Easter (40 days because Sundays are excluded).

In order to help prepare themselves, often Christians will take up some form of fasting for those 40 days.

Feasting and Fasting

The Christian Life is made of both feasting and fasting.

We feast because of the salvation that Jesus has already given through his work on the Cross, so we celebrate his incredible victory.

We fast because Jesus’ work is not yet fully realized in our lives or upon the earth, making us a people in exile, waiting for God’s full redemption.

Living in a culture that is always feasting and never fasting, we have very little hope about what God will do and have a hard time living beyond the moment.

Through self-denial and repentance, Lent pushes us to be people of hope.

How To Observe Lent as a Family

Most families don’t have traditions of observing Lent like we do with Christmas or Easter, so below are a few ideas to get you thinking about how your family can.

Set it Apart Visually
Just as we set apart Advent (the Christmas season) with red, green and lights, we can set apart Lent. Traditionally the color for Lent is purple. Look to creatively switch up the look of your house.

Fast as a Family
Look for something to give up as a family. Perhaps TV or social media. Give up something that affects everyone (i.e. not giving up college basketball, when there’s only one fan in the house). Perhaps you come up with something as individuals as well.

Replace with Something Good
Perhaps you want to serve the homeless or begin family devotions. Think of something you can do as a family to focus more intently on Jesus.

An example for young families: there are 6.5 weeks in Lent. Consider having your family memorize a verse each week on the “7 deadly sins.” Give hand motions to the verse to help the very young children.

So for the week on greed you could memorize Pro 11: 24 “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should and only suffers want” (ESV).

What are your ideas? Share your creative suggestions below.