I don’t really know much about what it takes to renovate a house. There are probably a few reasons for this, the largest being that student loans have crippled my finances to the point where I doubt that I’ll ever be able to purchase a house on my income alone. But let’s not go down the rabbit hole of the millennial student loan crisis in America; we can save that for another blog. 

My larger point here is that I’m not one of those Christians who religiously watches “Fixer Upper,” exclusively shops at the Hearth and Home section of Target, and dreams of visiting Magnolia Farms. No, truly, I am clueless about what it takes to renovate a home, and frankly, I kind of don’t care; thus, my lack of knowledge about it. So, when God told me He was renovating something in my life, I had no idea what I was in for. But here’s what I’ve learned. When God renovates in your life, you can expect a few things. 

1. It’s all consuming

Homeowners are funny. Every single person I’ve met who’s gone through home renovation can talk about little else. But I guess there’s a reason for that because renovation is an all-consuming process. Not only does it require a great deal of detail and decisions, but it is also quite literally happening in the place you live. You can’t escape it. So, when God renovates in your life, you can bet that it’s going to take up a lot of your time and mental space. After all, that’s where you live, isn’t it?

2. It’s messy

Another thing homeowners tell me is how messy renovation is. Now, really some of this is to be expected because they are literally building new things and tearing out old ones. But what you don’t realize is that sawdust is the glitter of woodworking: you never quite get rid of all of it. When God renovates in our lives, it’s just as messy. He uproots your habits, mindsets, plans, and insecurities all of which leave a great deal of residue and don’t come out without a fight. So, it’s normal that your life feels like a mess during renovation. It’s supposed to be. 

3. It takes a long time

Here’s a fact about me: I hate waiting. Like really hate it. I don’t even like to cook because I have to wait, and you better believe that if I have to wait on someone to complete a task, I will absolutely just do it myself the next time. God help me if I ever renovate because from what I hear, it’s not a short process. Not only is there the time you budgeted for planning and execution, but there’s also the time you didn’t expect. The time that it takes the contractors tear up the floor only to find mold which sets back your initial completion time to treat. Or how about when there is a fault structurally with the house and they have to spend time mending the part you can’t see before they can get back to making it look nice on the part that you can see? Bottom line: it never ends when you think it’s going to, and it always takes longer. What’s worse is that you have a vision of what it’s going to look like and a plan for how long it’s going to take which can be shattered within a matter of moments. 

Problem is, I feel like God should be a quicker worker than a human contractor. He can do anything, so why doesn’t He just fix it in an instant? I know these workers would love to have that capability. But I think that’s intentional for a few reasons. See, God works largely through process because process is more sustainable, and I know this because I know what it’s like to teach humans something. If I do something for them without going through the process, it’s likely that it will not stick. But if I teach them how to do something through process, they are more likely to remember because as humans, we learn through practice and process. Yes, it takes longer, and it’s as exciting as watching grass grow, but it’s better. When God renovates your life, it will take longer than you expect. Just know that right out of the gate. But also know this: just like repairing the mold on your floors will make your house last longer, He’s using process in this time in your life to make that change you’re praying for last longer. 

4. It messes with your day-to-day functioning

Now here’s something I didn’t think about that sounds completely obvious. When they renovate your house, they do it inside your house. Like where you live. Granted, they probably aren’t there while you sleep, and you’re probably at work for part of the day as well too, but they’ve taken over your space to the point where it’s likely unusable. Heck, there are some rooms you can’t even access during that time, and you have to make do with what you have. If God is renovating in your life, you better expect that He’s gonna be all up in your business 24/7. Expect that you cannot do things the way they’ve always been done. Expect that it’s going to be super inconvenient and will likely change how you live your comfortable life. That’s ok. It’s part of the process.

5. Your house, as you knew it, is not the same

My sister is so funny sometimes. She very much holds onto the idea of “the way things are” instead of embracing change when it arrives. For example, her argument for not getting a tattoo isn’t because of the pain but rather the fact that her body, “will never be the same again.” But aren’t we like that too when it comes to matters in our own lives? We hold on to things because we can’t imagine letting something that valuable go even if we know there’s a chance it will be replaced with something much better. When God renovates your life, expect change. Expect that the way you know your life will change. Expect that the way you’ve always operated will change. Expect that you will never be the same. And yes that’s a scary thing, but it’s also a good thing.

I moved into a newly renovated condo back in September. The condo itself was built back in the 70’s, but you would never know that if you’d just walked in. The appliances, floors, hardware, lights, everything had been updated. In fact, its aesthetic was its biggest draw for me and my roommates. And you know what? We just got to move in. No work was required on our part. 

But what I didn’t get to see was what the house looked like during this process. You see, renovation is not what we think it is. The process is never glamorous, it is always stressful, and it’s really hard. So, if your life is like any or all of those things mentioned above, consider this: maybe God is just renovating. Hang in there; the end product will likely be better than you imagined.