The Upgrade

So the new cell phone is up and running at full speed. Let me ramble a bit more on dealing with change in our lives. Usually the changes we navigate through in our lives are more life altering than simply upgrading the type of cell phone we use. And it usually involves our hearts and has the potential to move our lives forward or keep us stationery. We need to keep in mind that all God directed change is for the express purpose of enlarging us, maturing us and bringing us into a deeper level in our relationship with Him. Therefore, if we drag our feet, give up or downright refuse to get in step with change we are more than just staying stationery we are moving backward. God's church is always moving forward - we must stay in step with the Spirit's leading so we stay in step with the forward movement of the church. We may not literally be taking steps backward or retreating but in our non-movement position we fall farther and farther behind until we can barely see, hear or discern what God is speaking and doing. I don't know about you but I want to stay relevant and in step with what God is saying and doing NOW. My desire is to not just talk about building the Kingdom of God but to ACTUALLY build and establish the Kingdom. Doing this requires that from time to time I have to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and upgrade my way of thinking, doing and being.

Upgrading always brings those pirate growls I experienced with my phone upgrade. Why? Because we get set in our ways of doing and thinking. Often we move through life on autopilot. Being forced into something new disrupts this and causes frustration. Frustration is simple being out of sync with where we are and where we want to be or what we want to be doing. Just like with my phone, I wanted to just simply do something I'd always done with my old phone...make a call. Problem was not that I didn't know how to dial a number and push the little green button - the problem was that the new phone has one of those touch screens which I couldn't seem to get the hang of and the fact that all of my information was not transferred yet. So something as easy as making a call now became a project...frustration. I wanted to be able to do what I always had done with the same amount of ease but change was preventing me.

Change requires us to gain more knowledge and understanding too. Every time I set out to learn something new my brain cells are challenged - especially with new technology gadgets. It feels like my brain is having to be upgraded as well and, in a sense, I suppose it is. I have to push past my "oh who cares anyway" feelings and "I don't think I can learn or understand this" thoughts. Whenever God is taking us to a new level in Him the old has to make way for the new. As scripture tells us: can't put new wine into old wine skins. New information and understanding is not simply assimilated it is upgraded. It changes.

Going through this process is downright inconvenient and uncomfortable at times. It becomes inconvenient when our old ways convene with the new ways. It causes us to begin to question whether all this change is necessary. What was wrong with the old anyway? It was working wasn't it? Doubts surface as to whether or not we were focused on the right thing to change. Are we really hearing the Holy Spirit accurately? As with my phone I really did start thinking, "Why did I need this Blackberry thing anyway? I could have just gotten another phone like the one I had and avoided all of this to begin with." The temporary inconveniences of the upgrade were messing with my ability to flow...so I thought.

The funny thing is that here I am just one short month later and I'm back to dialing, texting, twittering, facebooking, emailing and more all from my sweet new phone. Ask me now if I like the upgrade? My answer is no longer a hesitant yes but...it is a confident YES. This is the same phone I was growling at...remember? The upgrade really was worth it. It enables me to do more and do it more easily and quickly than with the old phone. I'm still discovering all of its possibilities.

I know upgrading a phone is a lot simpler change than most we have to go through but still the principle applies. Given time, a focused heart and determination, all that God leads us through will result in increase in our lives. As uncomfortable, inconvenient and challenging as the process may be it will result in greater fruitfulness and a deeper relationship with God.

Desire to allow Him to change you from the inside out. Don't avoid it or run from it. There are lost people waiting for us to reveal His glory to them.

Hugs!!

Living & Loving,

Kathi

PS FYI - if I'd wanted to I could have updated this blog from my new sweet upgrade phone...see how cool is that? Couldn't do that with the old one. :o)