Joy in an Empty Room.

This weekend I had the immense pleasure of returning to New Orleans for a few days. My husband and I enjoyed time with my family, wonderful food, and of course COFFEE! Shout out to my fam at Cafe New Orleans!

But, the main reason I was down there was to speak at some dessert receptions at our old church. Long story short, they’re raising money for a new gym. I had the opportunity to walk into the gym and see it completely gutted and empty. It was an overwhelming experience for me.

To you this may just be an empty room. It has no meaning. For me, it holds some of the most precious memories of my life. I’ve spent 17 years of my life in this gym. I’ve been to youth lock ins, played basketball, coached basketball, been to skate nights, and so much more. My beautiful and perfect wedding reception was in this gym. And here it stands, empty. Gutted. Ready for something better and something new.

If I can be honest with y’all (I hope you wouldn’t want me lying, anyway), there are many areas in my life right now that are like this gym. The past four months have been a gutting process for many areas I thought I had figured out. Places in my life that weren’t necessarily broken, but weren’t necessarily whole. And while that process can be painful, it can also be the most hopeful. Like that gym, I can only imagine what God will do through the renovation of these areas in my life. Newness, sweet newness.

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When Jesus came to Earth, He came to bring that newness. There was a certain way that people reconciled with God for many years. Eventually, God changed the dynamic. He wanted a different redemption story. For 400 years after the old testament, there was an empty room. Silence from God. Then we turn the page, and enters the new! John the Baptist preparing the way. The virgin Mary finding favor. Jesus Christ being born, living perfectly, atoning our sins on the cross, and rising to conquer death and complete that bridge between us and the Father. The best and most perfect story of newness.  

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When you are discipling someone, or mentoring someone, who is a new believer, you have to understand that their whole understanding and worldview has just been gutted. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” They’re a NEW CREATION! It doesn’t say there’s a slight tweak here and there. That they’re just a different creation. It specifically says new. They’re an empty room. But, of course that’s not all they are. They’re an empty room ready to be rebuilt. Ready to fill that room with God’s purpose for their life. And it won’t be easy.

Do you think that picture I showed you of the empty gym will be done tomorrow? Or next week? Or do you think there won’t be setbacks? Do you think it will be cheap? The answer to all of those questions is a resounding NO. The process will take months and hundreds of thousands of dollars. It won’t be easy, but it can be accomplished by the sacrifice and faithfulness of it’s people. And when it’s all said and done, I can promise you that gym will provide a whole new generation of ministry and memories.

The same goes for that new believer. Maybe that believer is a recovering addict. Maybe that believer has led a promiscuous lifestyle. Maybe he or she has skeletons in their closet that will take months, or even years to bring to the light and work through. It will be hard. There will be sacrifice. And you have to remember through that process that you can’t fill that empty room for them. But you CAN help them find the supplies. Walk with them. Be faithful to them. Be firm and loving with them. And one day that empty room can be filled into someone who turns into a disciple-maker just like you.

The renovation process is hard, yes. But, so rewarding. Find joy in the empty room moments. They won’t last forever. And always always always be looking for rooms that need filling.

Be intentional. Be faithful.