Get Your House in Order: Window of Opportunity

"For in the day of trouble He shall hide me in His pavillion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock."

 Psalm 27:5

Our front window box is really blooming this year

I spent almost the entire Saturday working on the windows in my bedroom. It was quite a project, but the day flew by cleaning, scraping old paint, priming and painting.

 Three windows. Lots of panes. 

In the quietness of my room, I focused solely on the task at hand.  And by 6:00, I was ready for a hot bath (covered in paint!) and to make dinner. Project Complete.  By the time I went to bed, the paint was dry and  I drew the blinds which covered up all my hard work.

All that work, no one else would even notice. But I knew it needed to be done and felt good about it. In fact, I hadn't even noticed myself that they needed attention until Friday. While walking through the backyard I glanced in and oh wow, clearly I had not raised the blinds in a while. No spring cleaning had been attempted on those window seals/panes in a few springs:)

There was something so cathartic about striping away those layers of paint and letting them fall to the floor. For some reason, every little bit I would dust off the window, sweep up the mess and start again. And as I added the primer I thought about how it would seal the old paint that held on. The crisp, white paint gave the rather old windows new life. I completed the project with a good ole windex washing!

The irony of it all was I just described where my heart was Saturday. Addressing the places with the Lord that had "lots of pains" and more stripping layers. Those places that were covered up and not noticed, places I thought were healed. I allowed the cleansing of the Holy Spirit to wash and make clear the Light of  His word and His provision on the circumstances that make up my life.

Just like the old paint on the windows, not everything  can or needs to be stripped away.  It's part of what makes me so dependent on the Lord. He seals it with His love, grace and mercy...every.single. day. He clothes me in His righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).  I am made new.  I am growing in the place  that I deal with things as they come, every little bit, rather than let a huge mess be made and take up all my time and energy. A work in progress.

It is very hard work, not in my own strength but allowing Jesus to be Lord and in complete control. Prayer. Fasting. Accountability.  There is sacrifice and a whole-hearted obedience. In a quiet place, in stillness, I long to only hear  His voice, through His word, to show me what comes next in the journey of life."I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living."Psalm 142:5  No one may notice. But I know it needs to be done and I surrender to any God-given...

Window of Opportunity to be made more like Him.

Regardless of the pain.

Always to bring Him Glory.

He is so worth it.

Three Windows...Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

Day#116 Deal with it

Blessings,

Suzanne