1. Identify what needs to be done.
2. Tear out anything that's not needed or wanted.
3. Start rebuilding.
4. Finished product.
1. Identify what needs to be done.
Here at base we are renovating the "big house." This is no small job and a lot of prayer and thought have gone into it. There have been meetings on top of meetings to discuss what needs to be done and the best way to complete it. The whole house is getting made over.
I believe God starts renovations on our heart the same way. These are not always renovations that we may want to do, never the less, when we meet with Him, and ask Him to reveal a place that we need His help with, He will reveal it! Let's use trusting Him as an example. If we grew up a worrier and our mom was a worrier and our grandmother was a worrier, God may begin to put His finger on that area and say, "do you trust Me?" You can be "nope, I don't God. My whole family are worriers and I'm not going to change!" The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and He will not help you fix something that you won't identify as something needing fixed. OR! Your response may be "I'm trying but I don't know how, show me." That second response, I believe, is what God wants to hear us say! It is allowing God to put His finger on an area, identifying the problem and wanting to fix it. Now comes step two!
2. Tear out anything that's not needed or wanted.
In the "big house" they have started this process, and just let me say, it's hard work! They are knocking out walls...pay attention!...tearing out the ceiling, ripping out the plumbing, and getting rid of ANYTHING that stands in the way of the renovations.
Knocking down walls...ummmm...how many of us need to walk down some walls? How many of need to tear out our old thinking and grab onto what God says in His Word? We hang onto old hurts and those walls start going up. We worry incessantly and it becomes like an electrical wire...anytime someone speaks of something we worry about, we flip the switch and our energy starts running crazy and in places it's not supposed to go and electrocuting innocent bystanders. Someone talks about someone who's hurt us and our plumbing starts gushing out all that hurt and soaking anybody thats in the way! In essence we've just built a house that needs God to help us tear out all the wires that spark, all the plumbing that gushes and all the walls that are built up that keep us from others.
This is, I believe, harder than identifying the problem. This is the point where we have to decide what needs to stay and what absolutely must go. This is the point of no return. Once you smash that hammer through that wall, once you rip out that wire, once you smash that pipe...there's no going back! It hurts for awhile because you've become comfortable with your walls right where they are and you don't know what your room is going to look like if you tear it down. Thing is...once the wall is down, and all the mangled mess of wires and plumbing are gone, you realize the room is much bigger and brighter! You realize that God truly only wants what's best for you!
3. Start rebuilding.
In the "big house" all the gutting is complete and now they're starting the rebuilding process. This is the slower part of renovations. To do things right and in excellence we need to take our time. We don't want to just slap up bricks haphazardly or not use the right wires to wire with. We want to do it right, so that, when someone comes to see the renovations that we've made, they won't go "ooook, did you do this yourself?" But instead they'll say " WOW!!! Oh my gosh you guys did a great job!" "I want to stay in the big house!"
Renovating our heart also takes time. It takes spending time in God's Word and in His presence. It takes surrounding yourself with people who will speak truth, in love, to you. It takes leaning into God, trusting that He has a much better house that He wants you to live in. He has a house where the walls breathe His very breath! The electricity that runs through it is that of the Holy Spirit and it is pure light! The house that God has for us has plumbing that is gushing with the blood of Jesus! The house that God has for us is fearfully and wonderfully made and there is no flaw found in it. It is the house that we run into and we say "WOW!! I want to live here!"
4. Finished product.
The "big house" is not yet complete, however, one day we will be able to see a competed "big house."
God is always working on our heart. He is always showing us, if we let Him, areas that need to be either tweaked or full on torn apart. Our Father wants what is best for us!
If you feel you are in need if renovation in any area of your life, I encourage you to...
1. Ask God to identify what needs to be done.
2. Give Him permission to help you start tearing out what is not wanted or needed.
3. Ask Him to help you start rebuilding by His Word.
4. Know that the finished product is going to happen, it may just take a bit.
Big house to some is jail. No freedom. Gods big house is freedom . We are just getting a look into what it's like. Heaven on earth is what He wants for His children. That's us. No bondage just freedom in Jesus. Can we even warp our minds around that? His love, mercy, and grace all warped up in one and given to us. wow, what LOVE! Love Mom
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