Sitting here on the porch with the ceiling fan whirring, the birds chirping, and the intermittent sounds of sawing and nailing; I am reflecting on the past couple of months of renovation here at our home. It has been a long process of decision making, budgeting, working, and upheaval. We are just working on our kitchen/entry and feel overwhelmed, I don’t know how people build or remodel a whole house.
One of the personal challenges for me has been to avoid the pitfall of letting the project take over my whole focus. Early on I realized that I needed to ask a few friends for prayer in this area and I am grateful for their support. Many nights I would lose much sleep over issues that were coming up during the day, and the Lord would gently remind me of what Philippians 4:6-7 says about worrying:
“Don’t worry about anything instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (NLT).
I have often prayed through these verses when struggling with much bigger and weightier concerns than just house problems, and so when seemingly insignificant worries take over I feel almost guilty about bothering the Lord about it. But verse 6 does say “everything.” I have learned that since he inspired these words to be written, he meant them. I believe that he doesn’t want us just to bring major problems to him and try and handle the minor ones in our own power, but bring every concern, every decision, every request, every conversation, every thanks, etc.
In our 30 year old house, much is in need of renovation. How much more do I need it. We so easily become complacent, and don’t spend time in prayer, in Scripture, and in using the gifts he’s given us. These are some of the main ways in which he conforms us to his image. In his great love for us, he hasn’t left us where we are, but “while we were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). My prayer today is that the Lord would help me submit to him and the work he desires to do in me.