We Raise Our White Flag!

 

“Are you sure you want to mix music and video in the same play list? Most people like to keep them separate.”

This is the screen that popped up when I was trying to put the new 27 Million music video into my music playlist. I do not know if it is not normal to want to put a music video in a music playlist, but it made me think about all the things that I keep separate in my life, and ironically since the video was about the 27 Million slaves around this world. What do we keep separate? Friends, family, God? There could be so many things that we place into their own little bubble and keep there until it is the right time for us to indulge. Keep God for Sundays, friends for every other day, and family for whenever we feel comfortable. I know I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to how I used to keep everything separated in my life. When you are living to satisfy your own personal desires, it is extremely easy to keep things/people/God in their own little pocket and take them out whenever you feel it would most benefit you. That is how I lived approximately 24-25 years of my life, spending the majority of my days deciding who to take out of my back pocket when I need. A very hard realization… my boxes limited what God could do for so long. Well, the saddest part is that I was ok with keeping Him in His own little pocket and when things weren’t going my way I would say a little prayer and close it up again. When I thought about it, why would I want to limit a limitless God? How could I put Him in His little box then get mad when He won’t do things outside of that for me? How selfish. Maybe it was because I knew I could control a situation when I already thought of the possibilities, but giving God the opportunity to do something bigger is scary. We all say we want to do something great with our life, yet live in fear that something crazy will happen.  We give ourselves boundaries, and in turn we are giving God boundaries. Can you imagine what life would look like if we didn’t have to worry about what was coming next?

Problem…everything I want to accomplish in my life and everything God has for me will never be realized if I keep God in His box. Solution – surrender. As we talked about/sang about at Passion 2012 – raising the white flag of surrender. For many of us, that means giving up what we think is best for our lives. In giving up our selfish desires, we realize how faithful God truly is, He has our best in mind…at all times. Though we may not see it, He is faithful, His plan for our lives will unfold in His timing, only if we allow Him to mold us and prepare us for the amazing life ahead! And for some of us, that means getting a little crazy and mixing our video’s in the same play list as our music. Let’s be real, I would probably die watching a video without any music…uhh…boring! Can you even remember a movie you saw without music…probably not…and even if it was playing…you were probably sleeping. But join the two together… in the same play list… and you have a beautiful blend of visual and emotional inspiration. So, I’m not going to separate them. I’m not going to keep one in a separate folder…because that is what “most people” like to do. Nope. From now on, no separation between my music and videos – no back pocket for Jesus to chill out in until I need Him – no separation between God’s will and my two feet. You are faithful, and I will go where you send me!