Life Under Renovation

For so many reasons, we find ourselves having to start
over or make drastic changes or adjustments in our lives.
This may be due to a divorce, the death of a loved one, or
losing a job, among various other reasons. It might be helpful
to look at those times as a spiritual renovation.

When a house is renovated, the contractors don’t destroy or get rid of the house; they work with what they have. They get rid of what they can’t use anymore, make replacements where needed, and repair what can be repaired. But during this transformation, things look pretty messy, sometimes very messy. So much so, the home or property owner doesn’t want to see it until the contractors are done. If the primary residence is being renovated, the owners live under very uncomfortable circumstances until the work is done.

This can pertain to different times or stages in our lives when we need to go through a similar process but on a spiritual or inward level.

We generally call it “Moving on” or “Finding Closure,” among other things. But if we think of it as a renovation, then just like a house or property, we know that the discomfort, circumstances, challenges, and changes, aka the mess, are only temporary. If we persevere with wisdom, eventually, we will have a well-renovated life ready for the next stage of the journey, and life is indeed a journey. 

Christ addresses the process of a renovated life on a much higher level. I like the way the disciple Paul was led to explain it:

“Do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16