Redecorating Your Spiritual Home

I was waiting in the checkout line the other day when I heard the young man in front of me talking on the phone. He spoke loud enough for everyone to hear his conversation. We bystanders heard him inviting the person on the other end to his crib. At first, I wondered what he was talking about. But then I got a generation revelation that he was talking about his home, his flat, his pad… his crib.

During the Covid pandemic, people have spent more time at home, so they began to evaluate whether it needed a facelift. The siding, roofing, and home improvement industries have rocketed during the last 18 months. The same is true of landscaping contractors, swimming pool installers, furniture stores, and other resource suppliers used to freshen up our cribs. In fact, the wait time for swimming pool installation in some communities has been over a year!

When you improve or redecorate, you consider several important factors:

1. You plan for each item in priority order.
2. You analyze what will make the most impact to how you use your home.
3. You consider the money you have and how far it will go.
4. You think about if your purchase will blend in with what you already have.

The same is true of your spiritual home where the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you.

• What do you want to “redecorate”? How do you need to prioritize? For example, if you feel like your spiritual house is lacking peace, plus you worry too much about what people think, and you also tend to speak too quickly without thinking; which of these three issues should you work on first?

• What is old and tired and needs some newness? Perhaps you do pray daily, but the words seem to bounce back off the ceiling. Your conversations with God are stale. This is something that needs the freshness of a Spiritual reawakening.

• What do you need to help compliment your gifts currently? Enhancing the talents and gifts God has already given to you requires consistent investment in them. You could find a mentor, read a book, or put yourself in places where you can use your gifts more and thus polish them.

• How realistic is it to work on whatever you want to change? We must take into consideration your budget of time with other responsibilities like your job, family, ministry, etc. God gave us limits so we shouldn’t make a plan that costs more than the energy and time we have available. I once prayed for God to give me an extra day in the week so I could get a project done. Then He showed me how crazy that extra day could be, adding stress to my life. I began to praise Him for the limit of seven days each week.

Are you ready to redecorate? How should you work this out? Try this experiment:

Suppose you would like to see more control over your mouth. You tend to dirty up your heart with gossip and negative talk. Shop for some new things to talk about when gossip tempts you. Do this by finding a few scriptures that speak about the tongue and slander. Here are a few you might select from: Psalm 39:1; Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 15:28.

Memorize one of the verses that speaks to your heart. Memorization places the words deep inside of you ready to use when needed. Next, think of whether you need someone or something to help you stay accountable? Start a journal or enlist a prayer buddy. Take a minute to breathe in the Holy Spirit and evaluate what you are about to add to your life. Don’t let this be another failure to complete, like a New Year’s resolution. Be smart and realistic.

If the tasks don’t seem overwhelming, then go ahead and commit yourself to the Lord’s hand. Become one with the Holy Spirit in dealing with the intentions of your heart. Imagine the Holy Spirit enjoying your new crib’s make-over, just as a friend would enjoy your new comfy sofa. When you feel that your spirit and the Holy Spirit have become one in curbing your tongue, look for a new place to redecorate.

Thank God that the Holy Spirit isn’t impatient for your makeover. He just wants you to be teachable and obedient in little steps that mature you and make your heart more beautiful.

“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

1 Peter 3:3-4

Go redecorate your inner crib, woman of God!