Recycling as a Spiritual Practice

Our Earth is a gift, how should we treat it? Do receive a gift from a loved one that is both thoughtful and valuable and treat it with carelessness? Our stewardship of the environment is and act of obedience and worship.

So how can recycling be a spiritual practice?

Every time we take a can to the recycling bin we can thank God for the opportunity to have the whatever was in the can, but also thank God for the gift of our planet and recommit to taking care of this precious gift. In all things we are called to give thanksgiving and praise.

This can be a daily ritual just like morning devotions or prayers with the children at night. How it is incorporated into my daily life has to do with my schedule. Throughout the day I gather all of the recyclables into the bin. Items such as glass jars with lids are reusable, but we do have aluminum cans and paper goods that must be recycled. Small prayers of thanksgiving are offered up as I wash out items to be reused or recycled and in the evening, regardless of the number of items for recycling that have accumulated throughout the day, I take the walk out to my outdoor recycling bin. During this short walk I meditate on the blessings of our earth and God's faithfulness to us. It takes but a moment to place the items in the bin but the walk back is another prayer of thanksgiving.

My guiding verses up at the left have this little nugget that can be applied.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

When doing this, everyday moments can become spiritual practices.