Devotional

August 9
Ed Young Ministries Weekly Devotional
Trading Spaces - The Renovation
by Ed Young
Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13
We work out what by God's grace and mercy has been worked in at the time of our salvation. We develop what's been delivered to us through the person and work of Christ. We build on what has been bought by His blood. Look at that phrase, "work out." In the original language it means "work to full completion"...to develop what one already has...to finish a project. So, what does life change look like? What does the renovation of a heart look like? In short, it looks like work. But it is a different type of work.
This whole process of spiritual renovation starts when we resign and God designs. What if you gave two sets of plans to a builder? That would be chaotic. Yet, a lot of us have a vice grip on our plans and we say, "I know how to design my life. I know how to run my life. I know how to do my marriage, my job, and this or that. Yes, God, I see your plans on the table but I'm going to do what I want to do." God simply says, "Let go of the vice grip that you have on your plans. Let go. Resign as the designer and let me design your life, because I am The Master Designer. Resign. Fire yourself. You are incapable of knowing your plans. You're incapable of designing your life by yourself."
Once we resign and let him design, he brings swatches of fabric into your life and mine. He says, "Here's a swatch for your relationships. Here's a swatch for your future. Here's a swatch for your occupation." When he shows it to us, oftentimes we think, "I can't take that. That's not my color. I don't understand that. I don't see that." But we have got to realize that God sees the whole context of the room, the whole context of our lives. He sees the final result and we have got to trust him. When we let the Designer design our lives "according to his good purpose," we will stand amazed at the end result of our sanctification, the complete and perfect renovation of our hearts by the power of God's Spirit.
Oh Lord, we are definitely in the place of 'remodeling' in our lives right now. We are excited at what all the new you are putting in place will look like when it's all done, but we will continually pray about each room as it's getting it's new additions, being changed, repainted, etc. Thank you, Lord, for the constant reminder that you are the designer and you so know better than we could ever plan for ourselves.