We had an exhaust fan problem in our bathroom. I bought a replacement fan/light combination that I wanted to install while I was on vacation. When I began replacing it, one thing led to another. What I thought was a simple job, since the replacement unit was from the same manufacturer, turned out to be a major undertaking. It seems they’ve changed some details in the past 17 years. Locations for screws and clips had been changed.
I tried my best to just change one part, but it seems I have to change the whole unit out, which would be OK but I really didn’t want to have to access the attic and deal with all the insulation mess, plus, I really don’t know what I’m doing. So, after tearing everything apart and giving it a thorough cleaning, I put the same old unit back in place. How frustrating is that?
The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that’s just like our lives. When we come to Christ, all is forgiven and His Spirit lives inside us. But, nothing is the same. We can’t just change out a new model for the old, because everything has changed. I wanted to leave the old fan housing attached to the rafters, but God wants to even change out my spiritual housing. That’s painful, takes time, and creates a lot of frustration is in us. But that’s what growth is.
How is God changing you right now?
Tags: Change, transformation
We finally got all the drywall completed at our house. Since we had everything tore apart, we decided to move a wall to enlarge our family room and make better access to another room. We had to wait until the heat run was moved and the electrician moved some wires in the ceiling before we could finish patching the drywall in the ceiling where the wall had been.
Because the ceilings of both rooms that are now one had Spanish Lace texture, I wasn’t sure what the patch job would look like. But we had a professional repair it. When he was finished only the color difference was evident. I believe after the paint job we will be totally unable to tell where the wall had been.
That’s a great illustration of the work the Lord does in our lives. It starts with a major renovation, then gradually gets better as the Lord deals with various areas of our lives, until finally, in the end, His love covers a multitude of sins.
Where are you in that transformational process?
Tags: sin, transformation
Easter comes this year as early as it can on the calendar. Easter is a season of spring breaks and getting ready for warmer weather. It is a season for tulips and robins and mud and spring cleaning. Its also a season when people go shopping for warmer clothes.
But did you ever think of it being a season of revival in a person’s spiritual life? As people begin to look outward from the winter seclusion, it is also often a time when people attempt to make improvements in their homes as well as their lives. The cross is all about improvements in the life of a believer. The Book of Ephesians is a great teaching about the believer being in an exalted spiritual position. But it ends by challenging the reader to live according to this exalted spiritual position. Its a challenge to a life of holiness that draws attention to Jesus, not us.
The classic parable of the Prodigal Son is also a story of personal improvement. The son went back home, but his attitude was never the same. He was now the new and improved version. When Legion was delivered of the multitude of demons, his life was dramatically improved. Prior to the resurrection, Peter cowardly denied Jesus three times. After the resurrection, the same Peter boldly declared the resurrection of Christ before multitudes. His ministry had been vastly improved.
Let’s take some time this Easter season to do some spring cleaning inwardly. Let’s be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Tags: cross, Easter, holiness, improvement, spring, transformation