As we enter spring, it gives us all sorts of feelings. For some, it is exuberance. To others, expectations and hope. For some, dread because we truly do not know what the new season will bring. A while ago, I read an interesting quote by Robert Oren: “Spring is God’s way of saying, one more time.” As I think about this quote, I am prompted to re-examine myself. I am thinking about my life, relationships, and the state of my heart. I realize the intrinsic value of cleaning the heart space. As Oren said, I have one more time to see, feel, and grab this chance to begin anew.

Maybe you are not like me, and that is okay but what I know is that countless women are seeking a new chance at life, love, and career and are spring cleaning these areas for things that are in better alignment with their desires and goals. You may be recently divorced, maybe you lost a child, perhaps a business idea went south, or you now realise that you need a new lease on life. Maybe you are a part of the Great Reshuffle: figuring out what you want from your current or prospective employer and being strategic about your new opportunities. I am here to tell you that this is your chance.

Outside of spring being a new season, a few other things resonate:

The days are longer.

The weather is nicer, especially in colder climates.

Plants grow, and flowers increase in bloom.

Animals breed or give birth in springtime.

Increased rainfall that refreshes the earth.

It is just one of the seasons in the year that unquestionably shouts NEWNESS, and so, it is a time for us as women to look within and capitalize on this newness as needed. I recall a conversation I had recently with someone close to me where she expressed that she was having a challenge with forgiveness and shared the many hurts she experienced. She ended by saying I can forgive, but I cannot forget. Now I know that the two work hand in hand, and I am willing to be corrected if that is not the case. I believe that when we forgive but do not try to forget, it keeps us in the same place with the same emotions. And so, in this case, it is an opportune time to look within, make a conscious decision to move beyond the hurt, then really leave it behind. As humans, we experience the challenge of forgiveness and moving beyond hurt. We recognise that we cannot achieve such a feat by ourselves. This limitation forces us to acknowledge the source of our true strength and realise it is God’s spirit on the inside of us that equips us to move beyond places that threaten to keep us under and rooted in darkness.

Spring gifts us the opportunity to look within and see all the glorious good we have within that illuminates God’s spirit in us, but it also brings us face-to-face with the bad that goes against us. And then, we must consciously decide to have a new lease on life by taking further control by capturing all the bad and changing them for the better as needed. Transforming the bad is achieved when we spring clean our hearts.

The following scripture has carried me through times of renewal:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

Before we begin, and for the fruits of our efforts to become a reality, we must have a strong desire to transform our lives by spring-cleaning our hearts, and why wouldn’t we want to? There are numerous benefits to having a clean heart—clarity, direction, peace, a feeling of fulfillment, better sleep habits, an undeniable radiance, and much more. Cleaning our hearts gives us the freedom to love and be loved unconditionally.

What does it mean to SPRING CLEAN our hearts?

1. Resets our priorities:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33 NLT).

A serious look within that allows us to unearth and dispel negative emotions. Spring cleaning our hearts forces us to recognize what has caused us to feel misaligned from our source—God. Spring cleaning allows renewing and refocusing on what is important—putting God first, in other words, resetting our priority.

2. Allow us to love without conditions

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-7NLT).

It is only human to see the faults and limitations in others even though we have our issues. We judge each other without giving it a second thought, but we never see ourselves in the same way. Recognizing we are not perfect is the first step toward forgiving the imperfections we see in others.

Once we recognise the need for personal transformation, we must reprogram our brains to behave toward others the way we want them to act toward us. We will see love in others by showing love to them. This matter of unconditional love is complex, and we must love unconditionally when it is difficult and when the love is not returned. It takes work, ongoing work.

3. Freedom to experience an incredible Future

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).

Spring is an exciting time filled with the promise of making an impact. So, I encourage you to stay focused and listen to God’s voice. Embrace the changes and become pliable, ready to absorb every minute of this newness being experienced. Be calm and stay humble. Do not speak too much, but instead, observe more, feel the changes, and accept the changes. There will be mixed emotions coursing through your being, rendering you emotionally drained at times but understand that through it all, God’s plans for you are for good and not evil, to give you hope and a beautiful future. So, embrace the emotions, be ready for them, and where you feel overwhelmed, call upon Jesus’ name; He will take you through. Embrace the beautiful plans God has in store for you. Do not worry about how it might look to others; that is a lesson you will learn, to forget about the world and what they have to say. You are in a new realm, a new zone that does not need validation from the world. Embrace the feelings, they are not out of place, but they are right on time. Only now your heart and mind will appreciate the future. Your future. Exciting times ahead.

I think about the magnificence of spring: trees bearing fruit, the grandiosity of nature, reminders of the amazing grace of God. Spring is evidence that we, too, like nature, are a part of the Great Design. May I remind you that there is nothing you or I can do to thwart the life that is predestined for us; all we have to do is embrace it. We will get distracted, but there is no time like spring to give us a reset. We can count on spring to bring this reminder. With this nudge, we return to everything that we need to keep us in check, back on point, and aligned with the plans, the good plans that were in place long before we were a thought.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).