Seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed [renovated] in knowledge after the image of its Creator.

~Colossians 3:9-10 ESV (emphasis added)

I’m a huge fan of HGTV.

Some of my favorite shows include anything that has to do with renovations, like Fixer Upper, Property Brothers, and Love It or List It! It’s amazing to see how they take run-down, decrepit spaces and with the help of technology and skilled designers, provide layout plans for a brand new home.

As with any renovation projects, you have to tear down the old to make room for the new. The teams come in and start breaking down walls, pulling out cabinets, and drilling holes. By the end of the show, the homes are unrecognizable.

While the construction process is messy and sometimes frustrating, the homeowners’ faces, in the end, are priceless. A house that no one thought had potential is transformed into a beautiful haven. While watching these shows and mediating on Colossians3:9-10, I realized I had a lot in common with these fixer-uppers.

“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.”

~Luke 6:47-48a NKJV

I too am under construction.

The root word used in this verse for renewed/renovated literally means to make new, to have a new strength, to be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former broken state.

Have you ever looked at your life that way?

Have you ever thought perhaps those challenging moments you face are actually tools God uses to help us put off the old self so we can be restored to a better state?

As for me, I know some areas of my life that He is working on are:

• Diligence instead of Laziness
• A Gentle Spirit instead of Harsh One
• Patience instead of Impatience

In contrast, if we were doing renovations in our own home, we are not in charge of this process. The Master Carpenter is Jesus Christ. And the blueprint for our lives has already been laid. He is the potter. We are the clay.

Wherever you find yourself in the construction process, continue to yield to Him. Don’t lose heart. For we know it is for our good, in order for us to truly reflect the image of our Creator. And with Jesus on our side, the finished product will be great!

Off to find a hard hat!

How does knowing Jesus Christ is the Master Carpenter help you trust Him with self-renovations?

Lord Jesus, thank You that You have the blueprint for my life, and I can trust You to help me make necessary changes in my life. Help me to yield to this honing process, trusting You with the design.

Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Adapted from Pages From My Heart: A Devotional for Women: Lekeisha (Ford) Maldon: Used with permission

Copyright 2021: Running on Empty: Lekeisha Maldon: All Rights Reserved