Behind the Walls

We pulled back the old siding and found a bigger mess behind it. The siding we removed didn’t look that bad until we started to pull it off. It then broke into several pieces as the rot hiding behind the paint became evident. As deteriorated as the siding was, the wood behind it held even more decay. Although hidden from sight, the real danger lay in the rotten wood supporting the house.

As often happens with home repair projects, removing outer layers exposes more issues beneath. Fortunately, the damage was found before more serious issues resulted that would cost more to repair. The same goes for our spiritual homes. Things may seem fine to those around us as they look at how nice our lives appear. However, if there is sin, hurt, or pain below the exterior, serious issues result if not addressed in a timely manner.

Jesus spoke strong words to the Pharisees over hiding inward sin in Matthew 23:27-28. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

In a world filled with social media posts of accomplishments and beauty trends, we often focus on what others have, while not seeing their struggles. We can fall into the trap of comparing our entire life – both the good and bad - against other people’s outward successes. That produces an unfair and distorted comparison God never intended.

As we read about the heroes of faith in the Bible, God never mentions only their successes. The men and women we read of made mistakes, sinned, and walked in disobedience. Yet, they allowed God to work through them and their errors and bring them to a place of obedience that brought honor to their Heavenly Father.

The Christian life doesn’t guarantee we never fail. What makes this spiritual journey so special is that when we do fall, God is right there to help us back up, cheering us on, forgiving us, and setting our feet back on the path. But like peeling back the siding on the house, if there are issues in our lives that need attention, we must allow the Holy Spirit to expose them, remove the rot, and replace it with strong foundational materials that will stand the test of time and trials.

Is there an area of your life hiding below the surface that no one else sees? Is God asking you to deal with it and replace the decay with His solid foundation – His Word? If so, don’t delay in removing the compromised areas. Ask God to remove any sin, hurt, pride, or other decay in your life. Then fill the space with Truth from God’s Word. The replacement of quality building materials will yield a solid foundation in your life that will stand the test of time. Any pain and effort required now is less than ignoring the issue and dealing with a bigger mess later.

You serve the Master Carpenter who knows how to build that strong foundation for your life. Allow Him to apply His quality craftmanship to your life today.