The Fine Print: Spring Cleaning

Mar 31
7 min read

Updated: Jun 19

This is a warning—don’t just clean up, get filled up!

Hey Friend, welcome back to The Fine Print!

Can I ask you something? Do you ever get that deep sense of satisfaction after cleaning your home—the kind where the air smells fresh, the counters sparkle, and everything feels brand new? I love that feeling! The scent of Pine-Sol on my hardwood floors, the zesty aroma of a lemon-scrubbed kitchen—it just makes the space feel alive again. What about you? Do you have a favorite cleaning scent or a routine that makes you feel refreshed?

Umm, ok, ok—I hear you!

But you know, as much as I enjoy a spotless home, I’ve come to realize that spring cleaning isn’t just for our physical space. What about our spiritual house? Have you ever thought about the clutter we accumulate in our hearts? The unforgiveness, the fear, the distractions, the things we thought we let go of but somehow find their way back in?

That brings us to today’s topic: the spiritual art of spring cleaning.

Oh, and because you know The Fine Print is all about truth, let’s settle this upfront: “Cleanliness is next to godliness” is not in the Bible. (Yep, mind blown, right?) But what is in the Bible is the importance of being spiritually clean. But what does that mean?

You Can't Fix Yourself—Let Your Creator Cleanse You

I hate to break it to you, but you cannot get yourself together. I know we like to think we can fix ourselves, that we can get our minds right and pull ourselves out of the mess we’re in.

But, friend, you did not create yourself—so how can you possibly clean yourself?

Please hear me. This is urgent. Allow your Creator to cleanse your heart. I cannot stress enough how important it is to forgive right now. It is crucial to seek help for the addiction. It is vital to develop a real relationship with Yahweh.

This isn’t about behavior modification; it’s about transformation. It’s about allowing God to reach into the deepest parts of your heart, the places you’ve tried to hide, and wash them clean with His grace.

What Does It Mean to Be Spiritually Clean?

Have you ever walked into a restaurant that looked neat but didn’t quite feel clean? The tables are wiped down, and everything seems to be in its place, but there’s an underlying musty smell, smudges on the glasses, and a sticky residue on the menu.

Now, compare that with a restaurant that is truly clean—the floors are spotless, the air smells fresh, and there’s a sense of order and care that makes you feel at ease. The difference is in the atmosphere. One just looks presentable; the other is genuinely pure and welcoming.

Our spiritual lives work the same way. It’s possible to look neat on the outside while still holding onto internal messes—resentment, fear, jealousy, or guilt. But true spiritual cleanliness goes beyond appearances; it transforms the heart. When we talk about being spiritually clean, we mean being washed by God’s grace, free from sin’s grip, and filled with His righteousness.

David prayed in Psalm 51:10,

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

This tells us that spiritual cleanliness is an inside job—it starts in the heart.

When we talk about spiritual cleanliness, think of it like taking a deep, refreshing shower after a long, exhausting day. It’s not just about rinsing off the surface dirt—it’s about truly feeling renewed and refreshed. Spiritually, it means allowing God to cleanse us from within, washing away the burdens, sins, and struggles we carry. It’s not about routines or religious rituals—it’s about being transformed by God’s grace, forgiven of our sins, and filled with His righteousness.

It’s easy to focus on cleaning up our actions, but God is more concerned with our hearts.

So, how do we get spiritually clean?

Repentance – Confessing our sins and turning away from them (1 John 1:9).
Forgiveness – Releasing bitterness and allowing God to heal our hearts (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Renewing Our Minds – Filling ourselves with God’s truth instead of lies (Romans 12:2).
Walking in Obedience – Living in a way that honors God (John 14:15).

But here’s the key: once we’ve been cleaned, we have to stay clean. That means we can’t just remove the junk—we have to replace it with something better.

And this brings us to Jesus’ powerful warning…

The Warning: A House Left Empty is an Invitation

Jesus gives us a sobering warning in Matthew 12:43-45:

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

Whew! Let’s sit with that for a second.

Friend, hear me on this—deliverance is not enough. You cannot just remove something bad from your life and assume you’re safe. When God sets you free from something, you must fill that space with His presence, or else the enemy will come back stronger than before.

Think of it this way: Imagine you clean out a toxic relationship, a bad habit, or an addiction, and you feel relief. But if you don’t fill that void with God’s Word, prayer, and worship, something else—something worse—will take its place. This is why so many people relapse into old patterns. They clean the house, but they don’t fill it with the right things.

Let’s put it in practical terms. Imagine deep-cleaning your home. You mop, vacuum, wipe down the counters, and light your favorite candle. It smells amazing! Everything is spotless! But if you leave all the doors and windows wide open, it won’t stay that way for long. Before you know it, dust and dirt start creeping back in, and even worse—unexpected guests like bugs and rodents might show up. And listen, I don’t do bugs!

The same thing happens spiritually. If we don’t actively fill our hearts and minds with God’s presence, we leave an open invitation for the enemy to return—and listen, he’s not coming alone. The Word says he’s bringing a team more wicked than the ones that left. Um, it’s a no for me. Close the door!

This is a warning—don’t just clean up, get filled up!

Reorganize: Renewing the Mind

Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Now, it’s time to reorganize—not just our physical space, but our minds and hearts as well.

We’ve studied the Word and see that God wants us to be free from all the junk, we recognize that once the junk is removed, we need to fill the space with His truth.

Reorganizing is the step that ensures lasting transformation.

Just like a home needs structure after decluttering, our minds need to be intentionally filled with thoughts that align with God’s Word.

But how do we do that?

Let’s be real—sometimes old thoughts, memories, or desires try to creep back in. The enemy will try to remind you of who you were before.

That’s why Philippians 4:8 gives us a filter for our minds:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

If a thought doesn’t fit into one of these categories, it belongs in the trash!

Reorganizing spiritually means shifting from worldly thinking to Kingdom thinking, allowing God to reset our priorities, reshape our attitudes, and realign our hearts with His will.

When we renew our minds, we don’t just think differently—we live differently.

Knock, Knock—Housekeeping!

You know that feeling when housekeeping knocks on your hotel door, ready to refresh the space? Well, the Holy Spirit does the same thing for our spiritual house! He’s here, ready to help us stay clean and free—but will you let Him in?

The best way to keep your spiritual house full is to invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in you. The Spirit of God is our helper, comforter, and guide (John 14:26). When we allow Him to fill our lives, we are no longer empty—we are occupied by God Himself!

Prayer: A Clean Heart and a Filled Spirit

Lord, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for always knowing the answers and for holding my life in Your hands. Clean my hands, wash my heart, and order my steps according to Your will. Fill me with more of You. Show me if there are any contaminated areas in my life, and please give me the courage to allow You to cleanse me as only You can. Wash me white as snow, make me new in You, and hide Your Word in my heart.

Forgive me for trying to fix myself. I choose to trust You as my Creator, to surrender to Your process, and to allow the Holy Spirit full access to my heart. Make this Your dwelling place—I don’t want You to be a visitor but a permanent resident. Thank You for making me whole. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Talk to you next week friend,

How to Get Started:

Read Daily: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
Meditate on Scripture: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
Speak the Word Over Your Life: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

When you fill yourself with Scripture, you reinforce the walls of your spiritual house, making it harder for the enemy to return.