When Stress Blurs Gratitude

Nicole Johnson reflects on the process of building her house, comparing it to the Master Builder’s perfect design of each one of us. 

About a year and a half ago, my husband first read the article about a new housing development being built in the neighboring town where we were hoping to one day settle. Building a house had always been a dream of mine, so my interest was immediately piqued. I love all things design and had, over the years of homeownership, developed my version of the perfect home. From style and layout to cabinets and countertops to colors and hardware, it was all carefully and thoughtfully designed in my mind.  

We are now settled in this house that has lived in the corners of my imagination for so long and I am grateful, so grateful — and tired. This process of building a home is not for the faint of heart. Or maybe it’s just not for someone like me who functions best when in control and tends to fall apart when under the control of others. So. Many. Others. From the survey of the empty lot to the handing over of the certificate of ownership, the amount of people who had a hand in seeing this home through from foundation to rooftop is astounding.

The number of schedules that needed to align on a daily basis, and the mind-boggling number of times they didn’t, is enough to scare many a buyer off. My husband and I have said more than once that we are fortunate for the gift of naivety about the process. Had we known the amount of patience this would require of us, we may have chosen to let this dream remain unfulfilled. 

Keeping Our Focus on the Goal 

In my moments of pure frustration, others were quick to remind me to stay focused on the end result and remember what we were working toward. After all, we were building much more than a house. We were designing our future and laying the foundation for a tomorrow where our daughter’s world — one that will most likely be led without a driver's license — will be opened up by living walking distance to a bustling town center.   

On the morning of Mother’s Day, my husband and I went over to the house to check on the progress. We were nearing the end of construction, yet as we walked through the house, my frustration grew at the sight of several details needing attention that sat unaddressed. My husband ran down to the basement and I reluctantly followed, knowing we’d likely not see any progress on that level either. When I saw the water that covered the floor from wall to wall, I lost it.   

I pleaded for my husband to get our general contractor on the phone and offered my most Christian advice on how to handle the call. “Be mean!” I shouted. I had had enough and desperately wanted to find someone to blame for what was of course just an unfortunate incident for which mother nature carried the most fault. I had clearly lost focus on all that was important and was drowning in concern about something I was creating on the outside rather than what God was yearning to create in me. Mercifully, as is always the case, my patient, level-headed (like maddeningly so … I ask myself how does he always do that?) husband decided not to take my advice and calmly called our contractor to discuss options and next steps.  

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. (Jeremiah 1:5a) 

God’s Design is Perfect 

I have always loved this passage. It reminds me that the end result of me — the finished product — at least in the mind of my Creator, is pretty awesome. If I’m to believe that I am formed in the image and likeness of God and ascribe to the well-proven truth that this guy doesn’t make mistakes, well then, all signs point to this lady being filled with some crazy potential and top-notch, hand-picked gifts. I can move forward with this build, confident that the foundation of little old me is solid and the journey to get to the person God has always known me to be is more than worth it.   

I can rest assured that no matter how long the process may take, the Builder will never tire, nor will He leave the job site until every last detail of His perfect design is addressed. There will surely be times when things move along swimmingly and will undoubtedly be times when I get it wrong and go off plan. I’ll need to be careful not to be lured by every current trend, but to work on the building of my soul on all things lasting and true.

Thankfully I won’t be expected to be a master of all trades. God will place just the right people in my life to encourage, guide, and, when needed, push me in the right direction. I’ll need to remain open and observant at all times and find peace in the reality that, although much will be out of my control, if I stay focused on the Builder, all will be well. 

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Copyright 2025 Nicole Johnson
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