Remodeling Oneself

Becoming better is not a fun process. I have learned that there is a great correlation between remodeling a house and remodeling who we are.

In order to remodel a home, demolition needs to be accomplished first. Hammers are used to knock out walls, jackhammers used to pull up the tile, tools of all sorts are used to disassemble the old in order to rebuild the new.

The knocking down process is a mess. There are pieces and fragments laying everywhere. Dust accumulates, trash covers the ground and remnants of the old, the relics are all that is left.

Clean up then begins. The trash is removed, debris collected, dust swept into piles, broken pieces discarded and the old removed so that the rebuilding can begin.

Once the slate is clean the new must be built on the foundation. Flooring laid, cabinets placed and constructed, nails hammered into the wood to create strong walls, drywall placed up, paint, furnishings, etc. All the while, clean up of each new mess made is required. It is a long and tiresome process. One that is barely endured, with the remodelers only holding on with hope of the desired outcome well within their reach.

As I have watched a lot of HGTV lately, I have seen that renovations about kill marraiges, meltdowns are frequent, tempers lost and people hang on with all they have in hopes for the glorious reveal of the outcome. However, along the way, with the debris mixed in with the new, the building creating dust flying everywhere, projects half way done, people almost always lose hope and patience and wish they had never begun the process.

As compared by so many, our sweet Savior takes us and remodels us. He helps break down our weaknesses, our faults, our bad habits. As we purge these behaviors, holes are created, debris accumulates and must be cleaned out. The Savior lovingly begins to help us to take out our trash, clean up our debris from within and helps us to get a clean fresh start. Although painstakingly hard for us, when the Savior remodels us, we are his renovation. He can see the grand and glorious desired outcome but we are blinded by all the debris and hammers and chaos going on inside to see the outcome.

Through trials, the Lord build us. He helps to remove our blemishes, insecurities, our bad habits and helps us to get to a place where we want to rebuild our lives. With the Lord standing  by our sides, renovations are still so very difficult.

I find myself being okay with a nice house, not a mansion. I am ok with just some standard revisions, the Lord sees me as a grand masterpiece with so much more potential. He sees who we can become, I feel the pain and want to sell myself short.

The Lord has lovingly and painstakingly brought me to a place of clearing out the trash from within. He has broken down my bad habits, behaviors and has told me that I am more than I am currently. I am content and just want my old body or house back, he desires more for me.

So the renovation of my life begins. The foundation has been cleaned, the old removed and the Lord is willing to let me rebuild.

Although painful and hard, I know that the beautiful plans and outcome he has for my life is more beautiful and brilliant than anything I can imagine.

Yet I must trust him and push through the pain, the demolition and rebuilding to walk out the other side of this renovation the person he desires me to be, not just me settling for someone nice and good but someone wonderful.