Getting Right From the Inside Out – Spiritual Transformation

I looked around the inside of my house. I walked to the front door, opened it, and looked outside at the front grounds. I turned around, walked up the steps into the kitchen, and looked out of the window into the backyard.

I mentally brainstormed and visualized what I’d like and need to do to complete the vision I have for my home. The inside is coming along rather nicely, and truth be told, the outside is certainly making its way.

There’s much that I’d like to do, but only so much that can be done at once. My desire would be to complete inside and outside simultaneously, but that’s not realistic. Then I stop to think and question, does it matter what the outside looks like if the inside is out of order?

I mean, don’t get me wrong, the outside does matter. But as my cousin would say, “However, but” …

Have you ever gone to someone’s home, and the outside looked amazing? But then you walk inside, and you think, “what in the entire world is going on in here??”.

I know, I know, life happens, and unless you have a maid (which I do not), it can be hard to keep it together 100% of the time. I have a girlfriend (who shall remain nameless because you know I want to protect the innocent) whose house is spic and span clean/clutter-free. Which to me seems 100% of the time, but in her defense (or maybe mine), cleaning is her therapy. While I too love a clean home, and hate clutter, her therapy is not mine. So there’s that, lol.

But my point here is that even if the outside looks impressive, it doesn’t help if there is chaos inside.

As a result, I paused my brainstorming (for the gazillionth time), gathered my thoughts, and decided to prioritize the inside of my home.

“Why?” you say. Well, because your home is your sanctuary (or at least it should be, IMO). If the inside is in disarray, then the outside is simply a facade.

The reasoning behind my decision reminds me of how this also applies spiritually.

Aligning with God

When we are not aligned with God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, we can be a complete mess on the inside. Unfortunately, that internal mess will overflow outside of us. And when that overflow happens, it often unintentionally spills over onto others but never in a good way.

It’s essential for me to prioritize my relationship with God. I can always recognize when I haven’t spent much time with Him. Everything seems to be off-kilter.

But when I step into His presence, His Word and Holy Spirit bring my soul such a great sense of peace. Even amid chaos. It is a peace that surpasses our finite human understanding. (Philippians 4:7 CSB)

He breathes life into His Word and it disciplines us when we meditate on it. (2 Timothy 3:16 AMP)

His Word is heart cleansing and spirit renewing. (Psalms 51:10 CSB)

It promotes wellness at the innermost hidden place of our souls. And when we are doing well on the inside, it will naturally overflow in abundance to the outside.

It helps to produce within us good fruit. Fruit of the Spirit that is. (Galatians 5:22 CSB)

It comes out in our words and in our actions. It brings forth love, compassion, and forgiveness. And it sets us on the right path. (Psalms 23:3 NIV)

Transformation

The vision I have for my new house requires a process that will take time to come to complete fruition. But seeing my home transform has been both exhilarating and exhausting.

Suchlike in the process of updating a new house, His Word causes a gradual and sure transformation to our spiritual homes. (Romans 12:2 CSB)

But it won’t come together on its own. We have to allow God to work in us. Remove and add some things to us. Mold us until we have arrived at the destination of His complete vision for us.

And what is so amazing about God working in us is that He never gets exhausted. But once He’s placed His final touches on us, we can be confident that we will experience that same exhilaration. (Philippians 1:6 CSB)

How are you doing inside? How are you spending time with God today as He works in you?