Have you ever noticed when you get a new piece of furniture how it brings out the shabbiness in everything else?
Instead of thankfulness for the new thing, there are wishes for more newer, nicer things to go with the recently acquired new thing.
And on and on we go, a merry-go-round of discontent.
But what if our homes were Better Homes and Gardens perfect? What then? We’d still have to live with the imperfect, unfinished self. No amount of money could fix it. No fancy slipcover could hide its true nature.
Only Christ has the power to renovate us.
Without His Spirit working in us daily, our personal shabbiness goes unnoticed.
Surrounded by the world’s ugliness, we don’t look so bad.
But (the truth is):
We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
The endless lists of the outgrown, the worn out, and the broken can grate on this wife who thrives on beauty, order, and cleanliness.
But when I strive for the physical to succor my soul, there is never an end to the ride.
Covetousness and discontentment are like twin atoms revolving around the nucleus of our carnality. Circling, and circling; the one fueling the other.
But thanks be to God, when we repent from the dizzying circle of more, More, MORE, He has the power to stop the merry-go-round we have gotten ourselves on.
He washes us clean from the filth of our discontent and rubs the salve of clarity on our eyes to reveal what always has been true: more awaits us in the kingdom of God than anything we could ever hope to acquire here.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Don’t let what is physical have any power
So as I survey the ugliness that shouts from my rooms, the stains that wink as I walk by, the same re-glued chairs, and unfinished walls, I will shut my eyes to the falsehood of what I see and inhale deeply what I know to be true.
A shiny house and pretty clothes will one day turn to ash.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? (2 Peter 3:10–11)
Spiritual stagnation is what is ugly, not the rips in the upholstery or the one thrift-store dress that you own.
Spiritual dilapidation is the eyesore, not the peeling house paint or the broken appliance parked in your backyard.
When your circumstances muddy the threshold of your desires; when there is no beauty surrounding you: the house (wardrobe and yard) a mass of ugly, then BE the beauty that you seek, shine forth radiantly from every corner of your mind.
As we submit to the renovation that Christ desires for us, the yearning for beautiful things loses its grip as BEING beautiful in the Spirit takes over.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself in ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
Abiding in the Vine,
~ Gleniece
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That was beautiful!!! Loved it!
Thank you SK, for your sweet words and for stopping by. Have a lovely day! ?
I appreciate this conviction and encouragement Gleniece. Your word pictures are wonderful also! Thanks for linking up with Fresh Market Friday! Looking forward to more great messages:)
Thanks, Crystal, and you’re welcome! Glad for your wonderful new link up. ?
Gleniece,
I love this challenge to be beautiful in spirit! It is so easy to focus on the worldly things and not our spiritual beauty. Thank you for joining us on the launch of Moments of Hope! I hope to see you back on Monday!!!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Thank you, Lori. Yes, each one of us has a challenge in front of us. Strive for that which will perish, or grasp for that one pearl of great price.
I loved being a part of your Moments of Hope link up! I’m glad you stopped by, Lori. Have a wonderful day.
I am learning to be content and thankful for what I have. Asking God to renovate my heart seems to be a daily prayer and when I look back I can see how He has changed me. That is a true blessing.
Yes, Mindy. I know what you mean. We may struggle daily, but God is right there waiting for our willing hearts.
Thank you for visiting. I hope you have a beautiful evening.
I’m so thankful that we don’t have to rely on the physical for anything! Being renewed in the spirit is always wonderful news. Thanks for sharing, Gleniece.
Hi, Lisa. It’s lovely to have you here!
Yes, the physical will always disappoint. But thanks to God He’s given us something lasting.
Thanks for commenting. Have a wonderful day.
Hi Gleniece! You could be describing my home! Almost every single bit of furniture was a second hand ‘gift’, and after living here for 30 years, the decor is getting pretty shabby.
I like how you turned the discontent into peace with knowing that the physical is not as important as the spiritual. Our beauty is in our hospitality, not our house. We bring the joy!
Blessings,
Ceil
Hello, dear Ceil. You are so right. What makes our homes beautiful is our gracious spirit. Thank you for gracing me with your loving spirit today.
(Sorry about the delay in responding to your comment. Somehow I missed you between bread baking and homeschool). Hope your evening is blessed.
Gleniece, Once again you have posted beautiful, encouraging thoughts for the soul. Oh, if we could truly rid ourselves of this world’s view of beauty and see beauty from God’s perspective how different our thoughts and actions would be. Love it!
Thank you, Kathleen. It can be very hard to will our minds to ignore the physical and focus on the spiritual. But that is where true beauty lies. That is where true fulfillment resides. For me, and I’m sure many others, it can be a daily struggle.
Thank you for visiting me today. You have brought me some beauty.