I’m having house problems. But that’s not the half of it.

We have been thinking about moving to the other side of town for some time now. There are many good reasons. That’s where our church, school, and many of our friends are.

And, believe it or not, we need to Up-Size. While most of my peers are transitioning to smaller homes now that their children are grown up, we actually need an additional bedroom to accommodate one of our adult daughters. (I have a complicated family. Did I mention that?)

So like many other homeowners who are hoping to sell, we have been trying to catch up with all the tasks we should have been doing over the last, say, 15 years or so. Cleaning closets, purging, touching up here and there.

It’s taking forever.

But like I said, that’s not the half of it.

Last night I felt a wave of anxiety. Not about my house — although that seems like a good metaphor. But about my Home. My family. My complicated family.

We are in the midst of making some changes to meet the needs of our children, and hopefully make some progress in some necessary areas. And while it all looks good on paper, the reality is starting to sink in, and I wonder, what if this doesn’t work?

So this morning I took it all to God. Poured out my heart. Asked for wisdom. Asked for faith.

And this is what he said.

I have a couple different Bible reading plans I juggle. And today’s included Psalm 127.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

I looked at that word — house. It means a lot of different things in the Bible. It can mean a brick and mortar home. It can mean a family. Which makes sense in this Psalm to some extent since it later says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD….” It can mean a dynasty. I thought of King David and God’s promise to give him an eternal reign through his descendants.

So much packed into one little word.

And so I prayed the Psalm slowly. Carefully. Not leaving it to God to work out the significance of how it relates to my own little house, family.

And I thought of David and his dynasty and how God promised to build him a house.

I rested there, reminding God that if anyone is going to fix this family, it’s gonna be Him.

And then I turned to my other reading list to see what was next.

Oh, my. I should have known. God Moves in a Mysterious Way, they say.

2 Samuel 7-8 and 1 Chronicles 17-18. The very passages that cover God’s promise to David to build a house for him when David had wanted to build a house for God.

“Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house.”

And David responds, “And now LORD, let the word that you have spoken … be established….For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you.”

I just let those words sweep over me. Like a refreshing rain after a dry and thirsty spell.

God hears my voice. My cry. My agonizing prayer.

And He speaks. He imparts life. He gives faith. He tells me to trust Him. He reminds me that some of His sweet answers may not be realized until some time in the future, beyond my span of toil and trouble. Who knows?

But He is faithful. And He will build my house.

And so today, I have fresh courage. To pray. To build. To purge. To try new things. To trust.