Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind… Romans 12:2a
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:17
It’s been a few weeks since I made my last post. The reason being that I’ve been up to my ears in renovations at our house. All the tile in the kitchen, hallway, laundry room, and master bath was replaced. The den and kitchen area was repainted and switches and outlets replaced. A small shower was removed to create a closet and the tub was removed to create a much larger shower area. Finally, we remodeled the fireplace mantel and tile around it. Needless to say it has been a busy few weeks. All that is remaining is to install a shower door.
The experience of renovating these areas has significant parallels to the process of renovating the soul – something that is neglected by those who are satisfied with simply punching their ticket to heaven. Yet the witness of the New Testament speaks to the imperative call to be formed into the image of Christ. This is what I mean by renovating the soul. With that in mind, let me share with you some of the parallels I see between my house renovation and the renovation that takes place within the soul of the believer.
You have to recognize the need for renovating before you’ll be open to engaging in it.
The house we bought last year had been well-maintained. We liked the layout of it and didn’t think we would need to do much of anything to it other than move in. However, as time progressed, we became increasingly dissatisfied with the master bath shower which felt no bigger than a phone booth. Likewise, the white tile that covered both the kitchen area and the master bath seemed impossible to keep clean. Even after mopping it, it looked like dirt and grime from the entire subdivision found its way back on it. Not good. It became clear to us that we could either live with this less-than-ideal condition, or we could renovate. We chose to renovate.
The same is true when it comes to renovating the soul. You have to recognize that it needs to be done. Part of that comes as you grow tired of areas in your life that defeat you, dishonor God, and wound others. Likewise is the recognition of a longing for something more in your life with God than merely going to church and looking forward to heaven. No renovation of the soul happens outside of seeing the need for it.
Renovation takes time and patience.
If you’ve ever watched one of those renovation shows on TV, it seems like an entire house is transformed in no time. Yet the truth is far different. We tried to get our renovation started in January. Getting bids seemed impossible. Once we did get people lined up to do the work, there was a waiting period before they could even get started. And, of course, there were the inevitable delays between ordering supplies and when they arrived. By the time it’s finished, we will have been involved in this process for nearly 7 months.
The renovation of the soul is a slow process as well. We would like to think that a quick prayer or retreat will be enough to transform us within. The truth is that spiritual renovation takes a long time. It’s like peeling back layers of an onion. Bit by bit areas of your life that need renovation are revealed. Then the renovation takes place. That is followed by the discovery of more areas that need renovation, and so it goes. In some respects believers should expect to be engaged in this transformative process for their entire lives. Thus patient and steady engagement is required.
Renovation is hard work and at times quite messy.
I looked on Youtube for videos on tile removal. Many of them showed workers using a chisel and hammer to lift tiles with little effort. I was tempted to take on the task but decided instead to hire someone to do it. As he began to work, it was nothing like the videos. Each tile seemed like it had been cemented on the floor for all eternity. An impact drill was required to blast away small chunks of tile.
After two days, it was clear that he had far underestimated how long it was going to take. Since the tiler was coming in just a few days, my two brothers-in-law and I began to take on the task. I didn’t take tile removal in seminary, so I was ill-prepared for how hard this was. Every muscle in my body ached. Even muscles I didn’t have ached. Three grueling days later, the tile was removed. Now came the dreadful task of grinding down the remaining mortar that had held the tile to the concrete slab.
The grinding process created a sandstorm of dust that was like talcum powder. Even though we had sealed up the cabinets with tape and covered everything with plastic, we had dust everywhere. You haven’t lived until you have gone so far as to clean the spices bottles in the pantry. The cleanup took a week or more. What a mess.
Sometimes the process of renovating the soul can be like that. The chiseling away of stubborn areas of our false self can be difficult and painful. We’re tempted to look for shortcuts or to cover over areas of sinfulness with religious tile that makes us look good on the outside while leaving us unchanged on the inside.
True spiritual renovation requires more. It’s hard work. Paul indicated that our false self and our true self will be at war with each other. War is messy. War is difficult. But it must be waged if we are to be formed into the image of Christ.
The finished product is worth the effort.
We have jokingly said that we intend for our new tile to be in place until Jesus comes back. We hope to not have to go through that process again. But I must say that the new look and functionality has made the whole effort worth it. There is a warmth to the renovated spaces. They are easier to keep clean. And I can hardly wait to use the new shower where I can actually turn around in the thing. We are very pleased.
Opening ourselves to God’s renovating task within us is arduous work as has been mentioned. The false self resists every effort in the process of spiritual formation. But the results are absolutely worth it. You have a softer more gracious spirit. Things are increasingly not about you but more about God and others. You find a growing victory over sinful strongholds. You’re less reactionary, less judgmental, and less grasping for control. Above all there comes a renewed capacity to express the love of God from deep within. The renovation is transforming you so that you can join with Paul in saying that it really isn’t you anymore. It’s Christ living in you. And that’s a beautiful thing.