A Time to Move Furniture

by Janice Price
Published November 11, 2004

In Ecclesiastes 3, we learn there is a time to be, to do, to express, and to die. It does not specifically mention there being a time to move furniture, but in the adventure of life there is such a time.

Every woman learns words to speak to clear a room of all males over the age of three. Two that work well are “rearrange furniture”. So when my brother Doug dropped in early yesterday morning, I greeted him bluntly, “You can leave now or you can stay and help me rearrange the furniture.”

He looked around slowly and gave the typical male response, “Why would you want to do that?”

This was not a spur of the moment decision. I need more work space. I dragged furniture around the day before to allow a couch to be removed through the front door and then just left the mess for the next day. The biggest hurdle would be moving the computer desk and unscrambling all its cords. The rest of the furniture I could handle myself.

I am grateful for Doug’s invaluable help. He unplugged everything, lifted the heavy monitor, set the computer equipment where I wanted it, plugged everything back in and tested the equipment to make certain it worked. I hate to think what chaos would have resulted without his expertise.

That scene has been replaying in my mind since yesterday. Periodically, God makes it clear he thinks it is time to rearrange my internal furniture. This is a more complicated project than working with electronic equipment. This involves emotions and pain.

God will help us if we ask for and accept his help. He will help us dismantle the king-sized bed of complacency. He will show us how to take a sledgehammer to the immense, ornate dining table of pride. He will even teach us how to locate and destroy the roots of anger and bitterness that are clogging up our plumbing. These changes require more effort and result in more bruises (usually to our egos) than rearranging furniture in our homes, but the rewards are much greater.

The old furniture is gradually replaced with new: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

After I have finished rearranging furniture in my home, I look around at the neat, clean house and I feel contentment for that moment. God will continue to rearrange furniture within me throughout my lifetime. After he has finished his work in me, I will have contentment forever.

God has designed the floor plan. This is our time for moving furniture.

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