Clearing out my husband’s artwork and my father-in-law’s tools was the easy part of renovating this shed. Seven months after starting the work, I finally finished the insulation, and tomorrow, I will purchase drywall. I didn’t get as much done during the winter as I had hoped. But, when I go inside and shut the door, it feels more like my space.
It helps to have my Bible out there, sip a cup of tea, and sit for a while in God’s presence.
Shut the Door
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:6 NLT
Whether we have our devotional time in a favorite chair, a she-shed, or while we are out walking, private prayer is important. In this age of social media, it’s tempting to make everything we do public. I confess that I’ve been guilty of this. Especially during the 18 years we served as missionaries.
What Does He See?
Although no one demanded it from us, I felt pressure to be seen doing God’s work 24/7/365. I felt like I had to be the first one to pray or share in group setting. I felt like I always had to have a word of wisdom on my tongue.
God doesn’t reward us for presenting a perfect image of ourselves, it’s not about looks. There needs to be substance in our private relationship with Him, so Christ is glorified, not our lifestyle.
With the insulation complete, I feel warmth in the room. I also feel like I’m building trust with myself. I said that I would do the work, so it needed to get done. As I learn and relearn how to be in God’s presence without staging the scene for social media, I feel His loving eyes on me. And I believe that when I shut the door on the world, I open the door to Him.
I’m excited to have a space of my own where I can shut the door, to read, write, and pray. There is more work to do on the shed, and so much more work to do on myself in private. I know there will always be lessons learned or experiences had that I will feel compelled to share, but whenever God directs me to do so, there will be things kept private.
Please know that you’re on my prayer list, and I pray that you can carve out private space for Him as well.
*For those of you who prayer walk, contemplate what area of your life where God might be calling you to shut the door to the world and open a door to Him.