Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
As I sit down to write, there are stain and varnish fumes invading the main level of our home and a jackhammer running in the basement in an effort to improve our property. We purchased this house at the end of September. It is now nearing the end of January and despite a significant number of improvements already completed, there is still much work to do. It’s been a long and frustrating process. Repeatedly I find myself anxious and overwhelmed by the long list of repairs, the improvements needed, and the cost to complete them. However, in my frustration, I also see parallels between our house and my soul. More specifically, I’m referring to the vision, the challenges, the cost, and the anxiety associated with any spiritual improvement.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
We did not buy our home for what it was but rather for what it could be. Completed improvements include rebuilt chimneys, significant plumbing and electrical work, remediation to keep water out of the basement, a new heating and cooling system, painting, and for aesthetics, and a new mantel. Slowly but surely, our vision is at least taking shape. On a completely different level, God created each of us with a vision. Each of us is unique and has their own path to eternity, but the one common denominator for all of us is that God looks beyond our shortcomings to His eternal vision for us. He knows that we were born in sin and provided salvation through Christ to correct that condition. He is fully aware of our character flaws and sinful tendencies, but is at work to improve what He started through instruction, correction, challenges, and opportunities to grow in grace so that when we are received into glory, we will be the new Christlike creations that He desires us to be. We are after all, His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works and He will continue to work in our lives until we are fully sanctified. I don’t know how our home will turn out and if it will not ever be perfect; however, I trust God’s promise that He will in fact complete His work in me and in you to perfection. We will be exactly who and what He intended us to be for eternity. That is our hope no matter how we view ourselves or what our present circumstances may be.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Admittedly, getting from the purchased condition to our vision for this home is proving to be a greater challenge than what we anticipated, but we are moving in the right direction. We had the house inspected so we had a fairly good idea of what repairs would be needed. However, most projects so far have been more difficult to complete than was anticipated. Further, there have been problems that were neither disclosed nor identifiable at the time of inspection. For example, it was dry when we purchased the house, but after the first snowfall melted, there was a puddle in the basement. That unexpected challenge incurred additional expense and evoked a fair amount of frustration. But isn’t that true of our spiritual lives as well? Just when we think we have our spiritual life in fairly good order, God reveals another area that we need to work on. We could find it demoralizing, but we are better off when we realize that God lovingly choses to reveal the improvement that we need to make gradually rather than all at once so that we don’t become overwhelmed. Another consideration is when our lives are interrupted by a trial or multiple ordeals. As difficult as they may be, they have been ordained by our loving Creator to draw us closer. They may not be pleasant, but they are for our good so that we may be equipped and refined. James tells us to take joy in them because the fruit of that pain and endurance has an eternal benefit. Just as I view all of my frustrations with this house with the end goal in mind; so too, I do my best to view the trials of life with an eternal perspective knowing that my God will in fact sustain and perfect me.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me”. Luke 9:23
Each improvement for our home has a cost. As an accountant, I naturally do a cost/benefit analysis for everything. There were structural issues like the chimneys that had to be rebuilt; most of the electrical work was to make the house safer; some of the plumbing work was to repair what was while other bits were to bring the house up to the building codes; and last but not least are the aesthetic issues which involve more sweat equity than cash outlay. Some expense was expected, some we intended to delay, and some were a complete surprise, but they have all been deemed worthwhile for the sake of making our home secure and pleasant to live in. Our faith has a cost as well. There is the cost of refinement in which God calls us to give up those things which draw us away from Him whether they are sinful or merely things that we give greater priority to than our devotion to God. There may be the cost of relationships as some people may view our faith unfavorably. The persecuted church has a greater sense of the cost with respect to the loss of property, freedom, and /or their lives. The one who calls us to deny ourselves to follow Him gave up the comfort of Heaven in the presence of His Heavenly Father to confine Himself to an earthly form living among sinful men and women so that He could one day die on a cross to pay for their sins and unite them with the Father for eternity. He did it for the joy set before Him. When we are tempted to grumble about our circumstances, what God asks of us, or the losses He ordains for us to endure, we must remind ourselves of the eternal benefit and the joy that awaits us when our lives on this earth have been completed. Yes there is a cost to our faith, but does not abiding with God for eternity outweigh the cost? Is not the spiritual benefit much greater than the temporal cost?
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
Anyone who has done home improvements knows that it comes with a fair amount of anxiety. Between the repairs that we didn’t expect, the things that have taken several attempts to get right, and the tasks I’m trying to take on that are beyond my experience level, there has been plenty of anxiety over the last four months. However, it doesn’t end there. In addition there have health issues that we have both faced as well as circumstances that are making life difficult to enjoy. In a sense, we feel like we’ve been bombarded. Christ warned that we would have trouble in this life, but He has overcome the world. Further, our Heavenly Father has already provided the remedy in that He calls us to “cast our anxiety on Him, because He cares for us.” God knows our weaknesses, He knows our distress, and He knows that He can sustain us and provide peace even in the midst of the turbulence. Our life right now is fraught with concerns, challenges, health issues, and questions. I regularly beg our Father for wisdom, relief, provision, and sustaining grace. However beyond the anxious thoughts, Marie and I both have a peace and hope that is unwarranted by human standards given our current situation. It is a peace that comes partly from past experience as God has always been faithful. It is also a peace that comes from trusting in the promises of God. Finally and more importantly, I truly believe God is at work to assure us that these circumstances are a temporary and that He most assuredly will provide all that we need and that He will be glorified in the outcome. I believe, I have seen, and expect God’s faithful and compassionate fulfillment of His promises to us and to that end I have begun to thank Him in faith for His care and provision in advance. I hope that you may as well.
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake. Psalm 79:9
The vision I have for our home is driving me to endure the challenges of each repair and improvement. I don’t enjoy it, but I see the value and trust that one day I can enjoy the fruit of our labors. More importantly, I see the value of God’s work in me and trust that every circumstance, pain, and trial has been ordained with purpose. This understanding has not come naturally, but rather has been learned over time and is still being taught by my compassionate and understanding Father. What I write is what I believe God’s word teaches, however, it is not always what I feel. As I said, I regularly cry out for instruction, wisdom and help. My father died a few years ago and shortly before his death, He gave me the wedding band that my mother gave to him when they married. Shortly after his death I had it made into a signet ring. In the center is an “H” which also incorporates the first letter of Marie’s maiden name as well as the maiden names of our mothers. More importantly, the inscription above is “God’s Glory” and below “Our Good”. I had the ring made this way so that on those very hard days, I have God’s truth staring at me from my right hand. It reminds me that my pain has purpose and that in all things my God will be glorified. Secondarily, it reminds me to glorify my Heavenly Father, even when life is incredibly difficult…just as my Savior did. I pray that you will employ whatever tools God provides, especially His word, so that you may endure the improvement process with grace.