Closed For Renovations

 
(image courtesy of therealshilachblogspot.com)

                      
When was the last time you went to your favorite restaurant or store to see it all boarded up with a sign that said Closed For Renovations. Sometime ago that place for me was the salon where I get my eyebrows waxed. The bad part was there was no reopen date. That was some serious inconvenience because I don’t just let anybody get in my face or hair.

As I continue to walk with the Lord I find that there are periods along my journey when I have to re-prioritize and refocus on what is really important. I think this is something that everyone should do regularly. It is so easy to get side tracked in life. For me God is not a one time experience and then I have Him. I have to constantly seek Him. While doing so I stumble off the path. However, I know my Father’s voice now so I am able to hear when He tells me to shut down shop and get it together before I crash and burn. I have also learned to listen to him sooner than I used to as well.

What types of changes should be going on while one is being renovated? Here are some of the areas in my life that I pay special attention to.
1) Motives/Actions- Why do I do what I do? Is it for the glory of me or the glory of God? I am competitive by nature. What can I say, I love a good challenge. Because of this it is easy for my motives to become skewed in some situations. Before I know it I am more focused with winning rather than letting God get the credit. Philippians 2:3 that tells us we should not do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Sounds like it is right on time for me.
2) Control- Am I really allowing God’s will in ALL areas of my life? One of my former pastors said that we often tell God when, where, and how much He should meddle in our lives. I never realized that is what I am doing with my refusal to give up control. I need to learn to say “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matt 26:39).
3) Desires- Psalm 34:7 tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart. Notice that we are to delight ourselves in the Lord. Sometimes I can get so caught up in what I desire for my life until it works it’s way at the top of my list, right next to God. That’s bad for business.

The other day I was passing by my favorite salon and saw that it had reopened. I couldn’t wait to check it out. It looked like a totally new place. The ambiance was fabulous and so relaxing. The renovations truly paid off. In fact the inconvenience I experienced was minor in the grand scheme of things.
Is it time for you to reevaluate your life? Are you in need of a little spring cleaning? Don’t wait for the next self induced storm to crop up before you realize where you are going wrong.