Rearranging Your House

Over the last week my wife and I have been rearranging our house.  About 4 years ago when we moved we went for a relatively large house to a smaller one, losing several hundred square feet.  We've always been a little unhappy with the space, even though it's a nice house, and often have talked about wishing for a new home.  This is also the longest we've lived in one home in the 13 years we've been together, so we're feeling a little antsy and kind of wanting to move.  But there is no real chance of that happening soon, so we're trying to make the best of it.

As we started rearranging the house, switching furniture from one room to another, moving pictures, and so on, we discovered that we have a lot more open space.  What once seemed like a cramped home has suddenly opened up and feels roomy.  We look around and are amazed at what some new paint, slipcovers on the furniture, and a different arrangement can do to make us like our home.  We really haven't added or taken away things in the house, just changed where they were placed.  And that has made a world of difference in feeling content in our home.

This morning when I was praying God spoke to me about this issue.  I've also been struggling with being content in my job and our life.  I often wish that God has something else in store for me.  That he would help me find a different job, more money, and so on.  But for whatever reasons (and only He knows what they are), God wants us here at this time.  Since my desires don't seem to be in line with His, I've been struggling with personal contentment.  This morning He spoke to me and made me realize that it was no different than contentment with our house.

As I said, we really didn't add or take away from our home.  We used what we had and rearranged where we put them.  And that made a huge difference, increasing our satisfaction in our home.  So what if I did that internally?  What if I slapped a coat of spiritual paint on my heart and rearranged my priorities and activities?  By re-evaluating and rearranging my spiritual house, perhaps I could be content where God has me placed.

I'm not saying that suddenly everything is copacetic in my heart.  But it was a great awakening to me, and I'm glad that God spoke to me.  I don't necessarily have to add or take away from myself to be content.  God has already placed the things in our life we need to be happy.  When we're struggling with finding that contentment, we should look at rearranging things in our life.  We don't need to add things or even get rid of things (though we may need to get rid of sinful behaviors or add spiritual ones).  Like it took with my home, just looking at things in our life in a different way may help us find that peace that God wants for us.