Summer appears to be the season of repairs and building: home additions, new businesses, street repairs, and highway construction – along with accompanying orange cones and blocked travel lanes – can be seen everywhere. During each project, the frustrations are many, but when the work is complete, we often forget the pain of the process we endured.
When I moved from my 5-acre property into a small home in town, the only change I made was installing a fence around the back of the house so that my three dogs would have some outdoor “leg room.” I was unconcerned about the heavy, outdated curtains in the living room, the kitchen countertops, or even the color of the walls, simply grateful to own a well-built, comfortable home with an attached garage. Since that move-in date four years ago, not much has changed — other than a new roof, one replaced window, and a central air conditioning system installation.
When watching home renovation shows, we seldom realize the commitment required to make such a huge change. An expensive project lasting several months is shrunk to fit into a 30-60 minute time frame for cable television. Even when we are allowed glimpses of either the homeowners’ or construction crews’ inevitable frustrations, the entire project ends successfully and we move on to another episode.
Now consider the spiritual renovations that God makes in our lives.
Initially, our hearts were filled with less-than-perfect thoughts, habits, and choices. Until introduced to the love and salvation found in Jesus Christ, we were content with the spiritual filth in which we lived. But at some point, the Holy Spirit convinced us to allow the Master Contractor to begin the complete overhaul of our heart, mind, and the long process of being conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).
Just as with home improvement projects, road repairs, or building construction, the reality of spiritual growth is this: it takes time. We must “let the message about Christ…dwell in us (Colossians 3:16)” in order to experience a complete transformation. “Dwelling” involves an extended stay, not a quick fix, but the end results are worth the temporary discomfort.
When your heart is weary of the messiness of God’s renovations in your life, remember that He will finish what He has begun (Philippians 1:6), and the results will impact eternity.
mpaxson99@yahoo.com
