As many of you know, I design, renovate and sell homes. It is such a rewarding feeling to see something broken down and dilapidated transformed into something beautiful and inviting! But just like you see on those home shows, renovations are never quite what they seem.
When I walked into our Pennyston house, I immediately knew what I wanted to do to transform this dusty, dumpy space into something welcoming and wonderful. As we removed walls and made repairs, I could really start to see my vision come to life. But as we began to trench the floor to move the kitchen plumbing, we discovered disaster!
Hidden just beneath the concrete slab, a rusty, failed water line was leaking badly. Puddles of muddy water had been hiding under the home for who knows how long! Now, we would have to go under a wall and break up the floor in the adjacent bathroom in an attempt to see where the leaky pipe ended so it could be properly fixed.
And that's when the crazy showed up. When the plumber broke into the bathroom floor, he found a large hole hidden underneath. All that water had deteriorated the subfloor so badly that if we hadn’t discovered the hidden leak when we did, some future homeowner would’ve been sitting on the toilet one day soon only to feel themselves sinking into the floor. Could you imagine? Going to the bathroom and then sinking into the floor?! Just wild.
Life to me is a lot like that floor. We get started on some project, tackle some aspect of our life. Maybe we’re looking to heal from past trauma. Perhaps it’s a first positive step forward in our faith journey or a new business venture. Whatever it is, we have a vision for where it is the Lord is taking us, and we’re committed to making those positive changes.
Then our subflooring gets jackhammered, walls around our heart get removed, and we discover all sorts of hidden issues. Anxiety. Fear. Anger and mistrust. Old wounds that were neglected, ignored or forgotten suddenly come roaring to the surface, and it feels overwhelming.
I have experienced such spiritual reconstruction on and off throughout my spiritual journey. God has taught me some powerful lessons that I would like to share with you in the hopes it encourages you on your journey.
First off, the change still needs to happen. Think of my Pennyston house. Imagine I was a bad charactered person who didn’t care about the long-term outcome for the people who would eventually live there; I just wanted short-term savings and convenience. I could just dump some dirt in and cover up the problem. More money in my pocket, right?
Wrong! That problem would’ve spread and spread until eventually, the entire piping throughout the building would’ve potentially been damaged. I would’ve opened myself up to be sued for neglect, not to mention setting up those around me for failure. And the same is true of my heart.
I may want to ignore the leaky pipes in my life. Forget about the wounding or issues the Lord is revealing and just throw the “dirt” back in. I find we can get really creative at filling in that hole. We can toss in a huge amount of busyness. Party till we’re numb. Try to eat away the pain. Jump into the next Netflix binge. In our lives, dirt takes many forms.
Here’s the thing. I still have this leaky pipe, this challenging issue, lurking beneath the surface. If I continue to ignore it, I will eventually sink into a muddy mess. Trust me, it ain’t pretty when I do.
But I have found a powerful weapon that’s always at my disposal. God’s very words. They are packed full of the practical wisdom I need to move forward through all sorts of challenges.
So when I want to run and hide from my wounding or ignore the pain, there’s a great scripture I turn to in Galatians 6:7-8: “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he or she will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him or her, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.”
In other words, consequences for my choices exist. Those challenges don’t just miraculously disappear; they silently grow. While I’m lying on my couch watching the entire third season of Downtown Abbey, popcorn in one hand and beverage in the other, those weeds in my life begin to shadow and overtake everything else. Left unchecked, the weeds will consume me.
The debt eventually catches up. The anger spills over into all our relationships. The fear and anxiety cripple any joy in our life. In fact, those weeds get so tall we can’t see over them anymore. They consume our thoughts, our heart and our life.
I don’t know about you, but I quickly get tired of running my forehead into the same stupid wall. Of letting those weeds take over and choke me out. So (and here’s the lesson), I cling to the second half of that verse.
“But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.”
Okay. I hear ya, Lord. I’ve got to let you do your work in my life. Running and hiding may seem like it helps in the moment, but eventually it destroys. Choosing to trust the timing of when and what my Creator reveals to me, and then tackling those challenges together, is the only bona fide solution to reaping a harvest of real life.
What is real life? Things like consistent joy. Peace and patience. Loving relationships. A healed and healthy thought process. A heart that is open and anticipates the goodness of God. It’s the confidence of knowing I walk with the King of the Universe, hand-in-hand, knowing I am enough. He loves me and will work “all things for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). Even my yucky, leaky spiritual pipes.
So when you meet the inevitable roadblocks and challenges we all face when we reach for positive change, don’t quit. Rest when you need to. Take breaks to catch your breath. But don’t give up or give in!
You are worth so, so much to God. His plans for you are good (Jeremiah 29:11). Find those scriptures you can hold onto and choose to move forward in faith. I can promise you from experience that a harvest of real life awaits you on the other side.
FOR FURTHER THOUGHT
One of the greatest challenges in overcoming the obstacles we face is energy and time. I love this passage in Philippians that reminds me of what to do in those moments of wanting to throw in the towel or withdraw.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Php. 4:4-9)
This is our battle plan! Rejoice. Look for that one good thing in each day. It’s there—promise! Focus on being gentle and kind not only to others, but to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up mentally and emotionally over the would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. Those triplets are straight from the pit of hell. You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last to experience what you’re experiencing. Learn from it, remember you walk in God’s mercy and grace, and move on.
Finally, pray and lay everything at the Lord’s feet. There is no better use for your time. Let your Creator carry the weight for you. Choose to focus on the positive, even if it’s as small as noticing a beautiful flower or finally taking that shower. God’s amazing, unfathomable peace will guard your heart and mind no matter your circumstances when he’s invited right into the middle of your situation. The outcome will be worth it. Trust in His plan, for with God at the center, you are empowered to overcome.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the challenges I face. I love knowing that you are right in the heart of the battle with me, covering me from in front and behind. That your care of me is meticulous, and you work through all things for my good. Thank you in advance for lending me the courage and strength I need to make positive decisions for myself. Remind me of the good all around me. May my focus and my thoughts reflect that which is noble, true and excellent. Most of all, thank you for the incredible mercy and grace you lavish on me so I can be truly free from the guilt and shame of my past which can no longer own me. I am overwhelmed with love because of your goodness. Alleluia to my King! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ABOUT BARB LOWNSBURY
Barb is a speaker, author, and entrepreneur. She has Bachelor’s Degrees in International History and in Education, and a Master’s Degree in Education. She has spoken at conferences and taught classes throughout the U.S. about faith, relationships, leadership and courage through trial. Her book, Using What’s Broken to Boldly Shine, is a powerful read of transformation through trial. Her blogging is focused on giving people encouragement and strength for their personal journey. Barb serves as the Executive Director for The Dented Fender Ministry and runs a successful real estate and development company. She currently resides in Dayton, Ohio with her husband and blended family of seven.
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