I currently live in Tulsa where the color orange is everywhere! This is unfortunate for me for reasons beyond orange being my least favorite color ;-) The constant orange tells me that I’m going to be inconvenienced in some way by, yep you guessed it, construction.

This most recently has meant bulldozers in our front yard( yes even on Saturday mornings) and a detour path onto our neighborhood street. I’ve been surprised by new and ever evolving construction projects like last night as I witnessed a mile long 25mph site near my parent’s home.

Much like the places I see in Tulsa being reworked, I often find that God is in the construction business of my heart too. He is always trying to work more of Himself into me and work the ugliness of my heart out of me. I know right now in particular, I’m certainly in a season of being under construction. I guess it’s fitting that my inside match my outside world.

I think when we find ourselves in this place, as important as it is to have some things removed or deposited in us, it’s equally important to be patient in the process. The last word that comes to my mind when encountering construction is to be patient. Everything in me wants to go another way and so it is spiritually when I find myself in this place.

When Stephen and I encountered a new interchange where construction had been completed, we complimented the work and enjoyed the ease of free flowing traffic. In that moment, all of the stressful moments of sitting in traffic there and being rerouted seemed a distant memory. This is often true of our hearts. Once we see the other side, we realize the pain of the journey to get there was worth it after all. Not to underestimate that the construction period might involve old “pathways” being torn down, expanding and making room for others to share your lane, and the occasional “detour” pathway that isn’t what you originally intended.

Jesus spoke words that seemed to confuse many whenever right after turning tables over in the temple He then said,” “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.”
He may have confused them in the moment but the scripture goes on to say,”Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.”
John 2:19-22

Sometimes what seems like a ridiculous construction process is actually a testimony that Jesus is alive and working in our lives!

The story of the four friends who lowered their paralyzed friend down through a roof in Mark Chapter 2 comes to mind when I think of construction. Unlike the previous scripture where Jesus himself caused a mess in the temple, it was the friends who ripped through mud and thatch to get their friend to Jesus. They were willing to get a little messy and throw off what the homeowner and religious leaders would think by “dropping in”. This resulted in a gloriously changed life and the paralytic was made whole and many had faith to believe Jesus as a result.

You see, being under construction isn’t that bad after all. I often find even in my delays that I still get to where I’m going and nothing is ever truly lost. I encourage you, let Holy Spirit search your heart and make you more like Jesus and don’t be afraid to step out in faith for others too. Pay attention to the signs that can be frustrating that encourage you to “slow down”, “merge”, “detour” etc. Your next “mess” could result in a changed life.