This has been a week of taking stock at the Harrill household, otherwise known as spring-cleaning. All the furniture is moved away from the walls so they (and the back of the furniture) are wiped down, polishes are applied to various surfaces, things that have been lost for a number of months are found, and minor repairs are done. This year we added carpet cleaning to the mix, so everything is taking a bit more time. But the finished rooms look, feel, and smell great!
Suffice it to say, spring cleaning is not a weekly event – it is taking stock – getting us out of routine and allowing us to determine if maybe our routines need a little tweaking. “Perhaps such and such would stay cleaner if we did such and such,” or “This isn’t really serving us well,” or “Why in the world are we holding on to that??” Of course, “take stock” events are important, and not just in the area of house cleaning.
You probably know where I am going with this. In our spiritual lives, if we’re serious about our daily walk with God, it’s critical to take stock and to think about what is working and what is not. Sure – maybe I’m reading my Bible and praying regularly. Maybe I’m going to church every week. Maybe I’m reading devotional material. And surely all of that is good. But am I really letting the Spirit transform me daily? Do I find myself more open to service? Am I allowing God to speak to me through my brothers and sisters for my betterment? And as we take stock, we can clean out those habits that are not bringing us closer to God’s heart and replace them with those things that will.
Below are some links that remind me to take stock: