Spring cleaning. Some love it, most hate it.

It’s about cleaning out your gutters or taking out the lint from that gray accordion looking thing behind the dryer. Love it or hate it, you know you need to do it. But, there is more than one type of spring cleaning you should consider this year. Have you ever thought about Spiritual Spring Cleaning? It’s the check-the-heart and evaluate-how-I’m-doing sort of cleaning that should happen about 3 months into the year. That Bible reading plan you started but already fell off the wagon? The 15 minutes of prayer you promised yourself to make a habit? Now is the time to do some Spiritual Spring Cleaning- and here are 5 ways you can start today.

1. Establish (or re-establish) a Bible reading plan you can actually accomplish

Wherever you are with reading the Bible, think through what you can do to increase the consistency and volume of Bible reading. Doing it 3x per week? Make it 5x per week for 3 weeks, then up it to a daily commitment after that. Discouraged by the fact that you never get through the Bible in a year? Set a goal of reading through at least 1 book of the Bible every month (read a long one once, or shorter ones several times for familiarity).

2. Make prayer a part of your morning routine

We’ve all heard the stories of prayer warriors spending 90 minutes a day or more in prayer, with callouses growing on top of their callouses on their knees. That’s not you? Work towards increased prayer time with attainable goals. Set a timer every morning for 5 minutes… just 5 minutes to start… and get on your knees before the Lord. You will be amazed at how time flies and will soon be chomping at the bit to increase it to 7, 10, 15 minutes. You might even wake up earlier so you can pray more!

3. Take a thanksgiving walk

Get by yourself and go for a 30 minute walk - in your neighborhood, at a park, or on a trail - and spend the entire time just thanking God. Get creative, get specific, and get joyful by thanking God.

4. Pick a book, any book… and finish it

Have a favorite pastor-author you’ve been meaning to read but just flat out never get around to it? Pick a start date AND an end date, tell a few people about it (or invite them to read it too in that time), and plow through a soul-enriching, Bible-saturated, God-glorifying book in less time than you think. Try a chapter a day in a book like Tim Keller’s The Reason for God or Ravi Zacharias’ Recapture the Wonder.

5. Join a small group

Always been meaning to but never find the time? Jump start your discipleship by committing to a small group for at least 6 months. You can sign up for one today and we’ll help you get plugged in soon!