Open the Closet of Your Heart

Psalm 51:10

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

Proverbs 4:23

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Are you familiar with the term “spring cleaning?” It’s an age-old tradition of doing a “deep” clean of your home in the springtime–going beyond what you usually do to keep things tidy. It is an opportunity to refresh your home and clear out the clutter that’s accumulated over the years.

When people spring clean, they go into the closets and drawers they’ve been stuffing with random things for the past year and discard old items that no longer have value or purpose. Dedicating time each year to do a thorough spring cleaning around the house can help you maintain a healthy living environment and create a welcoming space to relax or entertain.

And while we’re all for spring cleaning your home, spring cleaning your dating life is even more important. Maybe you’ve been overlooking some “dirty” parts of your relationships. Now is the time to give your dating life a deep clean to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward and dating well.

Before you start spring cleaning your dating life, evaluating what you’re working with is essential. Sometimes we hold onto things that no longer serve us, and the same goes for relationships and dating patterns. So it's necessary to take the time to step back, assess what's working and what's not, and make changes.

So, open up the "closet" of your heart and be honest with yourself about what needs to go. Your heart is the wellspring of life. The condition of your heart overflows into your thoughts, words, actions, and dating life.

Maybe you're settling for less than you deserve, or perhaps you're holding onto past hurts and traumas that are preventing you from forming healthy connections. Whatever it may be, take the initiative to let go of what's not serving you and create space for healthy, fulfilling relationships.

Here are some questions to help you evaluate the closet of your heart as you begin your journey of spring cleaning your dating life:

• What past hurts and traumas am I holding on to and letting impact my current relationships?
• What areas of my dating life have I tried to control myself instead of trusting God and His timing?
• Am I choosing to date people who bring joy to my life?
• Am I dating people that drain me emotionally?
• Am I dating people who encourage me to draw closer to God?
• Am I compromising my values and beliefs?
• Do I honor God with the way I date?

Evaluate the closet of your heart without judgment so you know what needs to be cleaned. And as you go through the journey of spring cleaning your dating life, ask God to reveal to you what He wants you to keep, clean, or donate–creating room for even better things He has in store for you.