The Switch Up
Written By: Kierstyn Chambers
Okay, confession time. I have rarely ever seen anyone switch up faster than I just did on God. Yesterday I was literally (not even using the term loosely) singing God’s praises and was just so happy with Him and everything he was doing in my life. Then, fast forward to today, something didn’t play out how I wanted it to and I kid you not, I had the audacity to say to God, “I never get anything I want or work for!” Like, oh my goodness the AUDACITY. Thinking back on it now, just hours later, it’s almost comical and really sad how fast my tune changed. Now, I’ll give myself a little credit: I definitely tried to hold it together and tell God how grateful I was and that I would praise Him through everything, just acting like everything was fine, but there’s no faking with God, so I started to rant. The more that I started to rant, the more that I started to realize that I was actually kind of upset with Him, and here’s why.
Many of you reading this don’t know this about me but I am someone who likes to avoid disappointment at all costs, and the way I have been able to accomplish this for all of these years is by simply having no hope and low expectations. The problem with this approach is that it cannot coexist with a genuine relationship with God — one that leaves me dependent on God rather than my own methods of mental and emotional protection. While I’m aware that a relationship with God does not shield me from everything, I was still disappointed because He gave me the hope and expectation that I would have never had if He didn’t give it to me. I felt like He set me up because He moved me to do something and it didn’t work out how I planned (key words: “I planned”).
I’m thankful for this occurrence because if someone would have asked me before today if I would be content with God and His will through anything, I would have said yes a million times. Thinking on it now (I would like to pause and say that I’m really finding hilarious how I’m talking about this like I wasn’t throwing a tantrum two hours ago), I think this was really a prayer answered. Recently, I have been going to God and asking Him to show me where I am flawed and the parts of my heart that need cleansing, and boy, did he show me. While neither my trust nor my love for Him will ever change, He has shown me that my contentment in Him is conditional.
What makes this even crazier to me is that I have been reading this bible plan called “Winning The War In Your Mind” that I didn’t even think I needed because there isn’t too much of a war going on in my mind these days, thank the Lord. One of the days of this bible plan talks about Paul and I just want to highlight one thing.
“…Yes, and I will continue to rejoice…”-Philippians 1:18
Do you know where Paul was when he said this? This man was imprisoned! All Paul wanted to do was spread the gospel and he ended up in jail. Through all of this, Paul not once cursed the Lord’s name. He just followed the route of God’s game plan, and I think that’s something we can all learn from. Paul did not allow his joy, his contentment, to be conditional. This is because he trusted God’s plan in all circumstances, and he knew that his life was God’s. Even though he wanted to minister to the people of Rome, (you know, without the imprisonment part) he knew that God is a waymaker, he knew that God is all knowing, and he knew that God takes care of his children so nothing that was happening was happening because God betrayed him or because God wanted to withhold from him. Paul understood that where God wants you to be is not always ideal but it’s better than anything you can imagine. Even though Paul didn’t serve in the capacity that he thought he would, the way that God was able to use him to minister to people was still more than sufficient.
So, instead of switching up on God when things don’t go as planned, how about we recognize that, as long as we are functioning under the will of God, we’re never in the wrong place, never missing out on anything we’re supposed to have, and we’re never being led astray. Now, this sentence is nice and motivational and all, but how do we actually accomplish that? My experience serves as a testament to the fact that switching up is so easy. I had such a great week full of peace and blessings just to let one thing make me switch up and get angry with God. In order to help ourselves be less prone to switching up on God, we have to cling close to Him. We need to strengthen our faith and relationship with God so much that not even the thinnest sheet of paper could slide between us and God. This means spending more time with God, talking to Him, listening to Him, dwelling in His presence, and reading His word, and one thing that I can definitely say for myself is not letting my emotions shape how I feel about God but, instead, my faith. Going into this week, let’s be careful not to switch up on God but to just know that He has our backs, always, even when that doesn’t look the way we think it should.
There is one more thing that God has put on my heart to leave with you. Small details make up a big picture so sometimes when we want to go big God wants us to go small, in order to enhance the bigger picture. So when you don’t get that big position, that big job, or that big scholarship, don’t be discouraged. If David had tried to go and get a boulder to kill Goliath rather than using the stones he already had, he could have lost the battle simply by trying to go too big. If Paul had tried to escape and do what he originally planned, he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the change he was able to while being imprisoned. If there’s something I’ve learned over the years, it is that God loves small things, and as believers, we should too. Delight in the small things as you do the big things because God is intentional. Alright, that’s all folks! Stay faithful, and make it a point not to switch up when the going gets tough.
Let’s Pray!
Dear Lord, I thank You and praise You for who You are. I thank you for continuously showing me grace and favor. I thank you for being my guide and my stronghold. I thank you for sticking with me even in my switch up moments. Lord, I pray that you help me to be content in You. I pray that you help me to rejoice in all circumstances, like Paul. I pray that you help me to strengthen my relationship with you so much so that nothing can come between us. I pray that You make known to me the things that are only barriers in our relationship. Fix me. By faith so it is, by faith it is so. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
