Works in Progress

I am a home improvement veteran. My husband and I spent seven years working on a fixer-upper. I have completely redone a kitchen and a bathroom, installed subfloor, vinyl tile, ceiling tile, etc. I don't think that there was a spot in that home that wasn't updated in some way. Thankfully, we now live in a new home where such major renovations are not necessary. In this home, all changes are cosmetic. Right now I'm wallpapering my sons' room. No matter the size of the project, however, one constant remains. In the middle of the effort, it is going to look like crap!

It is difficult to be caught in that in-between stage when something isn't what it was and not yet what it will be. It can be hard to find beauty in a ceiling that has been stripped down to its studs or a room that is only half painted. If doing these projects on your own an hour at a time, this in-between stage can last a very long time. Yet, with a little vision, you can almost see the beauty that will come.

So it is with us as well. When we are going through difficult periods of transition, it can be very challenging to see the finished product, even in our mind. We may not even have any idea what the outcome may be! Yet, we know God is the master fixer-upper. He can take our raw materials and turn them into something amazing. That means, however, that we have to go through that yucky in-between period. When caught in that half-finished state, it is important to recognize the beauty of our potential, and have confidence in the craftsman doing the work. With time and trust, God will reveal all that we are meant to be. Be patient. God isn't finished with us yet!