Rebuilding a Dilapidated Shed. The choice to step inside or not weighed on my mind. Will the floor hold me or not? The rotten wood could cave in anytime. If you looked at the back wall you might see the critters scrambling to get out through the wide cracks.
Looking at the wet ceiling that’s been exposed to the rain and snow makes you wonder if for any reason you would store your valuables here.
Not a chance.
The roof had leaked.
My experience with this dilapidated wood shed. Throw out the junk and rebuild.
But can you make something beautiful out of this building that’s ready to be torn down? Not everybody sees this dilapidated shed as a destruction site. If you look close enough and have a vision you can create something functional and livable even.
Dilapidated Shed No More
Recently we did an overhaul of this very old shed and made something beautiful by rebuilding.
Like this old shed had been ready for the wrecking crew our heart may feel so damaged and hurt on the inside that you wonder if you can make another day. Our physical heart can wear out and become unhealthy so we go to the doctor for medication. And hope for the best.
Relating this to the damage of the human spirit that many experience due to difficult circumstances. Whether you’ve been abused or driven to the brink of self-depreciation by your own thoughts and attitudes, the pain of the inner being is real. Or the disease of addiction has taken over. Only God can see inside a person’s heart.
Put-on smiles
We may put on a big smile and talk endlessly about superficial things, but who knows the pain of the heart.
Guarding our heart against the critters that would try to make their way in is more important that presenting a perfect outside appearance. It’s the inside that really makes us who we are. We can make our outside beautiful but still keep the garbage inside until finally one day they flow to outside and pollute those around us. If we speak words of doubt and disrespect we add more garbage into our souls and into the souls of those around us.
The heart will be full of deceit and lies, until one day we find out how sick we really are.
Just like rebuilding an old dilapidated shed both on the inside and outside, we can rebuild our life by checking our heart attitude and getting rid of the garbage by asking for God’s help.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
Don’t let the negative circumstances and storms of life get you down, but build a strong spirit in you. Get rid of the critters that sneak in and clean the inner spirit through the Word and prayer. Sometimes it means getting your hands dirty to clean up the mess. Find the support you need and commit to the process. It may take time but God is there all through it.
It had taken years for the floors and walls to rot inside this shed, and one day it would have rotted away and collapsed. Same thing if we don’t do a cleanup and tune-up of our heart and continue feeding it the wrong physical and spiritual food, it will collapse.
Let’s get rid of the old dilapidated junk, clean up, restore and rebuild our lives on a solid foundation. God makes it all beautiful.
How about you? What are you storing in the innermost being of your heart? Want a pure heart and a strong spirit?
Great metaphor, Pirkko, and I love your new shed.
Thank you. Yeah, it’s so romantic and cozy right by the lake.