The Wendy's in Gloucester was remodeled during almost the whole first quarter of this year. It's hard for me to believe it's already old enough to be remodeled. I was part of the first staff when it was originally built almost 20 years ago. The drive-thru was my first "tax paying job" and I loved it.
The construction is finished now but the new work clearly began with demolition. My kids and others even speculated about what might be going there in its place. It was still going to be Wendy's but "new and improved". Cleaner. Prettier. More efficient. We also had more than our regular amounts of snow and rain this year and many days we would drive by to see a halt on progress. It wasn't just a mess but a wet one in the making -remaking.
**
In February, I went on my first women's retreat. We were in Nags Head in a huge house near the beach. Of course houses near the beach have many more windows that allow you to catch the view. Because of this, I couldn't help but notice that we were surrounded by construction.
Through the kitchen I could see a new house being built. A giant pool waiting in the yard to be planted in the ground. Plumbing materials decorating the yard in preparation for the future pool. New windows still baring stickers of purchase, etc.
Then in the main room where we spent most of our retreat time, the windows overlooked a huge house that had several tarps on it; clearly also in the process of being remodeled. Dumpsters lined our street between the two houses. Old going out, new coming in. -Lumber and materials here, trucks and crews scattered around. I could hear the faint tap, tap, tapping from the busy hammers of the crew.
During a break, I stared out of the windows and watched the construction taking place. A line from a familiar poem "my love is building a building" had been on my mind many times over the last few months. In many ways it came as a reminder to me to just trust that God was doing something, even though I didn't know exactly what it was. Here it floated to the surface again and this time lingered long enough for my curiosity to take the bait.
I imagined walking through the house. Discovering what might be behind those tarps. While it may be a mess now, I knew that there was a vision that was in the process of coming to life. While I already knew the message, the sentiment and picture really begged me to just take hold of it.
**
Last year, particularly the fall, was a good growing season for me too. I couldn't help but find the ironies in the fact that while I was growing, it felt more like demolition or being caught in a long, terrible storm. Many new lessons awaited me. Many great ideas were rejected or turned out flat and putting in twice the work or effort, seemed to result in even more failures than successes. I just could not produce the things that were on my heart, in my prayers or what I thought was being asked of me, no matter how much sweat, tears or sleepless nights were put into it.
Discouragement was at my door regularly ready to greet me and sometimes the unwanted visitor seemed to push himself in. It was a struggle to get him back out and to keep myself together. I felt much like that Wendy's looked... a wet mess in waiting...
**
In February, I went on my first women's retreat. We were in Nags Head in a huge house near the beach. Of course houses near the beach have many more windows that allow you to catch the view. Because of this, I couldn't help but notice that we were surrounded by construction.
Through the kitchen I could see a new house being built. A giant pool waiting in the yard to be planted in the ground. Plumbing materials decorating the yard in preparation for the future pool. New windows still baring stickers of purchase, etc.
Then in the main room where we spent most of our retreat time, the windows overlooked a huge house that had several tarps on it; clearly also in the process of being remodeled. Dumpsters lined our street between the two houses. Old going out, new coming in. -Lumber and materials here, trucks and crews scattered around. I could hear the faint tap, tap, tapping from the busy hammers of the crew.
During a break, I stared out of the windows and watched the construction taking place. A line from a familiar poem "my love is building a building" had been on my mind many times over the last few months. In many ways it came as a reminder to me to just trust that God was doing something, even though I didn't know exactly what it was. Here it floated to the surface again and this time lingered long enough for my curiosity to take the bait.
I imagined walking through the house. Discovering what might be behind those tarps. While it may be a mess now, I knew that there was a vision that was in the process of coming to life. While I already knew the message, the sentiment and picture really begged me to just take hold of it.
**
Last year, particularly the fall, was a good growing season for me too. I couldn't help but find the ironies in the fact that while I was growing, it felt more like demolition or being caught in a long, terrible storm. Many new lessons awaited me. Many great ideas were rejected or turned out flat and putting in twice the work or effort, seemed to result in even more failures than successes. I just could not produce the things that were on my heart, in my prayers or what I thought was being asked of me, no matter how much sweat, tears or sleepless nights were put into it.
Discouragement was at my door regularly ready to greet me and sometimes the unwanted visitor seemed to push himself in. It was a struggle to get him back out and to keep myself together. I felt much like that Wendy's looked... a wet mess in waiting...
But I was learning something new...
How about you? Change is hard and disruptive now isn't it? Even when it's in a good way. Even when God is working. Even when you have the vision of what you're working toward. Even when you have the "blueprints" or "tools" to get there! Having any of those things in place does not guarantee that change is easier. But just like that remodel, even during a storm, our spiritual challenges should be just as exciting to us because God is doing something!
How about you? Change is hard and disruptive now isn't it? Even when it's in a good way. Even when God is working. Even when you have the vision of what you're working toward. Even when you have the "blueprints" or "tools" to get there! Having any of those things in place does not guarantee that change is easier. But just like that remodel, even during a storm, our spiritual challenges should be just as exciting to us because God is doing something!
In fact, in our day to day life it's common to see buildings that are left rundown and discarded -abandoned. If we really want to admit it, those buildings are left behind because they are no longer useable or serving a purpose. Thankfully, if we abide in him, he promises to continue on with the good work that he started in each of us until the day that he returns.
You might not get 'it' now and you might not see what that good work is yet or even feel like he has a plan for you. If you're in a one of those hard storms now, you might even feel like you've been forgotten. But please hear my heart and trust that most especially in that hard season, there is a Master Carpenter with a plan and he is already working. Just as a doctor works protecting layers and a carpenter works covering sections; He too is busy and sees all. He brings physical healing and spiritual restoration (ahem, transformation).
AND-
You will only be blind to it for a little while. If you persevere and have faith, one day you [or Him or the plan] will be unveiled [often in phases]. And are you ready for this...
1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are not just buildings beloved- We are temples. Temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? And you are not your own.
I don't know about you but it has taken and will still take a lot of work for God to make me and my building into [what I envision as] a temple. But he still thinks that you and I are worth that effort anyway because HE had that vision (and perhaps an even bigger one) when he started each of us.
Just like all rebuilding starts by removing the old; He exposes our vulnerability first; the flares of temper, our weakness, our bad attitudes, our dependence on earthly things, self-sufficiency and lack of faith; the things that we don't want others to see or the things that we might not even be aware of...
Sometimes, when your very best is producing your worst; it may just be to draw out the impurities of your heart so that he can scoop them out to replace them with only thing that makes any temple worth it. His spirit.
REJOICE that he is exposing those things because that is exactly where he wants to go to work. Your awareness of it will help you see how much you need him. It's only once it is out in the light that something can be done with it.
You're not too bad, too weird or too broken for God. Romans 8 says that IN all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Don't get caught up in the struggle because it's temporary and always changing. Keep your eyes [mouth and thoughts too] on the Master and the vision instead of the struggle and I promise that even in the middle of the chaos; if you're looking for him you will see glimmers of his goodness at work.
We don't get to decide what God can or can't do. You've been called to more. Be open to- and encouraged in the new direction. For your love is still building a building.
P.S. The link to that poem has got to be one of the best interpretations of it that I've read. Click on each line to see the interpretation to the right. If you're a lady that fumbles through words and speaks to think and then later often regrets- Or if you're going through a storm and your mouth has produced things contrary to what is in your heart, maybe give it a look over from your masters eyes.
I'd also encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 6 & 2 Corinthians 3.
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