And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

~1 Samuel 1:18 KJV

Like Christopher Robin in a Winnie-the-Pooh episode called “Cleanliness Is Next to Impossible,” I encountered the evil under-the-bed villain called Crud when spring cleaning for my friend’s arrival. I also needed some soul-scrubbing hacks. 

Looking at my house through a young mom’s eyes revealed sinister canisters of bathroom cleaner and dishwasher tablets lurking behind kitchen and bathroom cabinets—not good for small children. Windows and floors demanded scrubbing and polishing. Impossible mounds of important papers filled the dark corners of my study. And runaway bits of life lay on counters and shelves, speaking volumes.

Christopher Robin’s friends rescued him from the clutches of Crud. Like the story, my daughter rescued me from the never-ending tasks of cleaning and straightening. Finally, their bedroom was fresh and lovely, and, as his mother said, “clean as a whistle.” Sore muscles underscored satisfaction and contentment, and we rested, waiting for our friends’ arrival.

My spring-cleaning project reminded me that my soul needed some soul-scrubbing hacks.  Sometimes my mind shoves unbiblical thoughts under the bed of my daily life. And they begin to take a life of their own. Thoughts covered with dark doubt and discouragement–smelling suspiciously of earthly thinking–needed disinfecting by God’s Word. Often, I forget to wash the windows of my soul with worship music or restore order to my jumbled life by reading my Bible, having godly conversations, and praying.

Hannah, little Samuel’s mother, offers wisdom for soul-scrubbing hacks. Her infertility had distracted her worship and focus on the Lord. And Peninnah, her rival and second wife, provoked her about it. Hannah’s life was a mess, even though she was loved by her prominent husband.

Hannah’s story offers three tips for spring cleaning our souls:

• Know what type of cleaning products to use for our souls.
• Use them effectively.
• Allow them to change our perspective.

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

~Psalm 51:10 KJV

Hannah knew she needed a committed time to pray specifically to cleanse her soul of bitterness. I find it noteworthy that God requires so many words to say that she went to church to pray. We need to make our soul’s spring cleaning a special event like Hannah’s.

As my preparation for guests suggests, I need to reach underneath and behind discouragement, a sense of failure, and the enemy’s lies and wash away the limits of negative emotions. I need to take time to wipe away anything ungodly. As Hannah’s serene face shined when she finished praying, my chaotic feelings will vanish, and hope will rise when I pray.

So, how do we know when we’ve accomplished soul-scrubbing hacks? Like Hannah, we can resume a regular life, unencumbered by a smudged soul that blurs God’s perspective. We can relax after the demanding work of returning our souls to being “clean as a whistle” and enjoy the presence of the Lord as never before.

And, like Christopher Robin’s friends, Tigger and Piglet, companions in our own faith journey can help with cleanup. Not only will we enjoy new life with Christ to a greater extent, but we will also influence others to join us.

The next time you wash and scrub, think about Hannah’s advice for freshening up your soul with a little extra spring cleaning:

1. Set aside special time to pray.
2. Pray specifically.
3. Allow yourself to look at your situation from God’s perspective and be at peace.

 

Are you in need of some soul-scrubbing hacks for your soul?

Dear Jesus, help me to keep my soul clean for use in Your service. Amen

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2022: Soul Scrubbing Hacks: Marlene Houk: All Rights Reserved