We are in the middle of remodeling our kitchen. What a mess! We have knocked out the two side walls opening our kitchen to join our family rooms on both sides, making one open, large room. For a month now, we have lived with all of our furniture covered up by plastic in these rooms. There is dust everywhere—one day from insulation, the next from sheetrock. I have coughed so much that, at times, I have thought I would turn blue.

There is nowhere to sit, nowhere to be. We have a makeshift kitchen in our bedroom, complete with crockpots, a microwave and a toaster oven. Our bathroom sink doubles as a kitchen sink, except it is too tiny to be a kitchen sink. Often I end up washing out my crock pot with the hose outside. Yes, I am ready for this pain to be over. On the days I cannot deal with it, we go out to eat, which is becoming more frequent as time goes on. I guess there is a bright side to this chaos after all.

Sometimes God puts our lives through a remodel. There are lessons I am learning from this remodeling that remind me a little of the remodeling that God has done in my life.

1. You learn to improvise. Right now, I have no idea where my measuring cups or funnels are, so I am guess-measuring my sugar in a Solo cup and using a funnel made from a paper plate to make tea. In the trials of my life, it is not nearly as sweet as all that. But you have had to figure out a new way to do things when the old ways became impossible. You cannot give up, you just have to keep trying.
2. It takes longer than you expect. Just like we are on the contractor’s schedule; with the remodels of life, we are on God’s timetable. If the answer to prayer does not come today, it may be tomorrow or the next day or later. You’ve just got to keep hanging in there and praying and waiting until God answers your prayer.
3. You learn to roll with it. Some days it goes any way but the way you had planned. You cannot let it rattle you. Worrying won’t fix my floor, and worrying won’t help me get through the trials of my life.
4. It costs more than you expect. Almost no renovation project comes in on or below budget. It is just like that when God is working a plan in our lives. Sometimes it costs us more than we anticipate. We even wonder how we can endure. It is painful when God knocks out a wall in our lives. Make no mistake, it is God who keeps us propped up while He works on our lives.
5. Keep your mind on the end result. When I get overwhelmed by the inconvenience, I remember that we have a goal in mind. In the end, it will be worth it. When God remodels our lives through the trials, He has an end result in mind too, and it is so much better than anything we could ever imagine on our own—for our good and for His glory.

Dear Lord: Thank You that You love us too much to leave us the way that we are. You are our Creator and are always growing us and working Your plans to make us more like Your Son Jesus. Sometimes that means You bring painful change to our lives. Help us to be still and know that You are God while You do Your work. Amen

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Has God taken you through a remodel? Was it painful? Was it worth what you went through? Please share your thoughts, experiences and comments by replying below.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May God bless you as He continues daily to work His good will for your life.