As I sweep my spiritual floor clean, I notice something that gets my attention. Laying in a corner of my soul is a list of those who have hurt me. I want to go over and sweep with everything I have until the hurt and anger disappear. However, a part of me is hesitant and struggles to approach my grievance pile. Yet, I’m filled with a strong desire for healing and self-discovery.

     In some strange way, I find comfort in holding on to grudges. I raise my justifiable fist into the air and scream out, “This person hurt me to the core. How can I let go of my resentment for people who did not protect me? How can I sweep away years of pent-up hostility towards those who did everything in their power to destroy me? It’s a constant internal battle to release these feelings.

     I realize that Jesus wants me to remove those spaces. He says, “Sweep as hard as you can, my son. Let the feeling of letting go of a past full of heartbreak comfort you and give you peace.” I hear the gentle voice that moves me to act against anything in my spiritual house that might cause me harm.

     The Holy Spirit comes to me, and I realize I can sum up my work into one word: forgiveness. No one forces me to erase my memory but to clear out the grunge of pain. This dirty corner of my home took too much real estate in my heart. By sweeping out the hurt of the past, I have come to experience a personal sense of freedom, a journey we can all relate to.

     We clean our spiritual houses, not because God requires it, but because the more work we do on our sacred space, the more the risen Christ fills the void of our souls. The fulfillment of practicing spiritual disciplines is that the more we work on our hearts, the more Jesus inhabits our souls. During our preparation, we discover that He, our Messiah, found a place many years ago.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel