If you brought together six people with diverse traits and backgrounds, their answers to the title question would likely include six different types of spaces.
Some of us prefer cozy decor, surrounded with precious keepsakes.
Others prefer sleek, white spaces with lots of light.
Some like a rustic, log cabin aesthetic; others prefer the industrial look.
And more than a few gravitate toward the quirky.
But no matter our style preferences, research has confirmed that certain environmental factors impact our mood:
- A warm, cozy home creates a sense of well-being for most people
- Clutter can cause a person to feel overwhelmed and anxious; tidy, organized spaces tend to calm
- Beauty in the form of pleasing colors, sounds, and smells as well as meaningful objects can elevate a person’s mood
- A dark room can make a person feel lethargic; light energizes and exhilarates
- Bringing nature indoors with plants and flowers contributes to serenity
But we can’t always control our physical environments. Home isn’t warm and cozy in the midst of ongoing conflict. Children (and maybe a few spouses or roommates out there!) make messes they’re loathe to clean up. And days on end of gray weather can sap energy and joy. What then?
We can shift our focus from what’s around us to what’s within–the spiritual surroundings of our souls. But how do we impact that invisible space, in order to experience equilibrium and calm?
Let’s begin by imagining the soul like a room, and consider the bullet points above.
First, it is God who creates a warm and cozy environment in the depths of our being—a sense of peace and contentment that no one or nothing else can accomplish. To access His peace we only need to ask. And as the atmosphere of our spirits change, we discover: “The very act of breathing in his presence is balm.”[1]
Second, clutter in the soul includes such unsightly messes as sin, negativity, and worry. God knows we can’t remove the muck on our own. But out of his love and mercy, he gladly helps get rid of the filth as we turn to him for forgiveness, help, and strength.[2]
We can enhance our soul-spaces with beauty—thoughts that center on all things lovely, excellent and praiseworthy. Imagine hanging on the walls of your spirit pictures of God’s faithfulness—remembrances of his provisions, guidance, and blessings. View with delightful awe his magnificent deeds.[3]
A few well-placed lights of scripture[4] will certainly energize and elevate our mood—passages such as these:
- “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long, they celebrate your righteousness for you are their glory and strength”.
- “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
- “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.”[5]
Last, at least for this post, we can bring the delight of nature into our spirits, much as we enjoy bringing plants and flowers into our homes.
Have you noticed that when we take the time to marvel at the intricacies of a leaf or petal, our pleasure is expanded further?
Similarly, we can take time to marvel in God’s attributes and abilities gloriously displayed in creation:
- his inventiveness and engineering—from insects designed to walk on water to whales that communicate underwater.
- His attention to detail as he created a planet that sustains life.
- His mind-boggling power to fill the universe with stars, planets, moons, galaxies, nebula, comets, and more—all governed by the scientific laws he established.
And as a result of such contemplations, our pleasure in him is expanded.
When all these elements are combined within our spirits—warmth and coziness with God, cleanliness, beauty and light from God, as well as delight in God, we discover true sanctuary, a place where we can enjoy intimate relationship with him and rest for our souls–a place of refuge and calm.[6]
Isn’t that a place where you’d like to live?
[1] Philippians 4:6-7 and Jan Karon, A Common Life, 116.
[2] Psalm 51:7, Psalm 94:18-19, Philippians 4:13
[3] Philippians 4:8; Psalm 105:5a; Habakkuk 3:2b
[4] Psalm 119:105
[5] Psalm 89:15-17a; Isaiah 26:3; Nahum 1:7
[6] Matthew 11:28-29; Psalm 55:6; Isaiah 25:4; Psalm 16:11
Photo credits: http://www.rawpixels.com; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.flickr.com (Nicolas Huk); http://www.commonswikimedia.org; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.rawpixel.com; http://www.canva.com; http://www.piqsels.com; http://www.publickdomainpictures.net; http://www.commons wikimedia.org.
From the Inside Out 
A wonderful analogy, Nancy. For what it’s worth, I like the industrial look. My heart soars with concrete floors.
Thank you, David. Some elements of the industrial look appeal to me too–if it’s an old building with large windows, lots of brick and lots of wood. As for concrete floors, I’d have to put rugs down to warm them up!
Agreed. Rugs warm up a space and cut down on the sounds bouncing around.
Indeed, Nancy, that is exactly where I want to live and dwell – in God’s eternal presence. There is no better place on earth than that!
Thank you, my friend, for your inspirational and comforting words today.
Blessings!
Praise God you found inspiration and comforting words here, Martha. You are so right: there is no better place to live and dwell than in God’s eternal presence. What a glorious privilege he’s given us to do just that!
Oh my yes, sign me up! I’ll take Door #3. (And that leather couch). I read this quote today and smiled: “God became flesh and built some furniture.” —Mike Cosper, Recapturing the Wonder. That’s what I hope He’s about in my mind and heart, including the grace to throw wide the door and beckon another within . . . Thanks for this
That’s an interesting quote from Mike Cosper. Makes me curious if he began with the fact Jesus was a carpenter, and turned it into a metaphor. I love your image of throwing wide the door of the our spirits to God. We have nothing to lose and much to gain! Sometimes I need reminders. Thank you, Laurie!
I enjoy your Rose-colored glasses comment, when looking back in time. I especially like the idea of dwelling with Him makes wherever you are… is safe in His arms. Thank you again for your thoughts Nancy!
Sam
Thank you, Sam. We’re like turtles in the respect you mention: we carry our Home with us in our spirits (Psalm 90:1 NLT)!
I’ve always loved creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in our home. I love how you have compared our souls to a room that is to be decorated by God’s Word and His light and all the other wonderful things that we have with Him. The pictures you mentioned, pictures of His faithfulness, is a thought that is just precious to me. Thank you, Nancy! Oh, as I decorate after our remodel, I will be remembering this blog for sure.
Thank you, Patty. I have my pictures of God’s faithfulness written down in a journal (which you’ve probably read about before). It’s turned into a resource of great encouragement as the years have passed!
Your post gave me a sense of peace. Thanks so much.
Praise God for his peace! I can’t imagine struggling through each day (and night) without this precious gift.
Such a beautiful post! I absolutely love this! You have an amazing way with words. Thank you for sharing. 🦋
Thank you Bridget for your kind encouragement. Praise God for his inspiration as he provides the prompts and even the words to flesh them out!
What a wonderful analogy that draws us into the coziness and warmth of the One who creates special places for each of us with Him. Thanks for this, Nancy–a refocus on my inner space is exactly what I needed.
Praise God for his timing, Dayle. I’m delighted this post ministered to you!
AMEN! AS ALWAYS WORDED WELL
Thank you, dear Janet! As always, I’m praising God for helping me construct each post.
Great illustration. The book I wrote last year – yet unpublished deals with this too. Where do we find home? What does home mean to us? I think we all want a comfortable, loving warm safe place to be ourselves and be with God
Your book sounds intriguing, Jean! Keep us posted on when it becomes available. You’ve reminded me of a prayer from St. Augustine “O God, you made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” Indeed, a loving, warm, safe place with God is the best “home” of all!
i love how you’ve linked up the home images (I love all 4!) and the truths of Scripture, friend. we are not all one thing or another. God has made us, and His world, intricately, beautifully, uniquely, and quite complex.
what a wonderful Creator we serve!
Amen to that, Linda. God knew what he was doing when he added the spice of variety to our lives!
A great illustration of the soul Nancy. I love light. In my early years I built an addition unto our home. A great room with an indoor swimming /therapy) pool. It had 13 windows and two sky lights. We called it our light room. Visitors loved to just sit and talk…and talk…and stay…(we are going to bed now so you can get home). God wants our life to be this way, I’m sure of it.
That room sounds delightful–especially in winter when we sometimes feel starved for sunshine. Then again, if your guests were staying past bedtime, it must have been a different kind of Light they enjoyed in your presence! And you are so right, Gary: a life of Light is what our Father wants for each of us.
Nancy, I love this analogy. You are an outstanding writer!
Aw, thank you, Pam. As always, I have to praise God for his inspiration!
Oh Nancy, I love this delightful analogy. You have offered a picture that gives scripture such a sense of finding home. I like imagining we can invite Jesus into our “heart homes.” He arrives with a bouquet of flowers and we sit down at the hearth together and talk. He feels at home and wants to see the rooms that have been closed off then fills them with beauty. He even sweeps the dark corners clean. He urges me to invite others in to share our fresh warm Bread. Before He leaves He hands me a gift of grace and tells me to share that too! ❤️💐
A lovely addendum, Deb! Thank you for sharing your insights. I like YOUR image of others joining us at the table for fresh, warm Bread!
Nancy,
I have house clutter and soul clutter that needs to go!
Blessings,
Bev xx
With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, we have fresh motivation for getting rid of clutter!
Very clever Nancy….I truly enjoy interior design (and love the Lord) so this really speaks to me…combining the two brings comfort!!
Love this truth you noted: “We can shift our focus from what’s around us to what’s within–the spiritual surroundings of our souls.”
Thank you, Alicia. And praise God this post brought you comfort! It’s truly a winning combination when the atmosphere of home contributes to the serenity of our souls!
❤️
Isn’t that a place where you’d like to live? Oh yes, a place made cozy by the cozy warmth of the One who loves us so!!
What a lovely image, Sheila–cozied up to Jesus!