How long have you been living the Christian life you’re living? Are you comfortable in your
routine? Has your time spent with the Lord looked the same for months or years? Has that time
become stagnant or even non-existent? Do you feel a tug for more of Him or do you feel
nothing at all? Do you ever question if there’s more to the God you’ve come to know or are you
satisfied with what you know of Him today? If any of this sounds familiar to you, it’s time for a
shift.
You see, I’ve just described myself in the above questions. I was a Christian for almost 30 years,
going to Bible studies, mom’s groups, serving in church, singing on the worship team and
praying (mostly when I was in crisis or needed something). My life looked good on the outside
and I was doing all the things every good church member was doing. I thought I was a solid
Christian and knew a lot of the Word, but then chaos broke out in my home. It was a massive
shaking – an unfaithful husband who sought divorce, teenage sons who went off the deep end
in their own ways, and me in my struggle, trying to keep it all together, raging with anger and
hurt. I realized then that my foundation was not strong, I was on shifting sand, and I had to
make a choice (Matt 7:24-26). I chose Him. Thankfully. I chose His Word, first. I dove into the
Psalms and found solace and truth there. Then I sought wise counsel because I couldn’t find my
way out of my wrong thinking on my own. Then…Jesus.
He crashed into my life with love. Love beyond measure, like nothing I’ve ever experienced. The
Holy Spirit caused my feet to run me to the altar for the first time, and I got off the floor a very
different woman than I was when I went to the floor. I said “Yes” to His call to lay it all down
before Him, and He exchanged all of the mess for peace, joy and love. Truly, I never understood
intimacy with any person before. People came and went in my life and I learned to never get
too attached. Until now. Jesus is real and His Holy Spirit is real. Love with power. Joy with
purpose. Peace with authority. He is rocking my life with huge anticipation of what He’ll do
next, today and in the days to come. He is shifting my life to be radical and intentional in my
actions. Goodbye self-pity! Goodbye shame! Goodbye stagnant thinking and lifeless
Christianity! It’s time for a shift!
Won’t you join me in making the shift? Give Him your old thoughts, your old ways, your old
routines and the things you cling to, like pain, diagnoses, bitterness and regret. He will gladly
take them from you in exchange for His healing, love, joy and peace! He invites to come to
Himself and take His yoke, for it is easy and you will find rest for your soul (Matt 12:28-30). All
you have to do is give up your resistance, your fight, your desire to be right. Sounds easy, I
know. It isn’t, until you’ve come to the end of yourself and realize that what you’re doing isn’t
working. If you will let go, Jesus will crash in. He promises. And what He gives in exchange for
this is beautiful: love for yourself and for others, power and authority in your prayer life, the
desire to be obedient to His call and His Word, and the ability to think differently (Romans 12:1-
2; 2 Cor 4:2-6). I find myself desiring to think about what God thinks about – changing our
families, our cities, our nations. And I desire to see people and situations as He sees them, not
as I would naturally see them. The shift causes us to move closer to God, to desire His heart and
to seek His face more than our own comforts (Ps 27:8). Won’t you join me in shifting? A little
hesitant in life looking differently? Don’t be. Just take a running start and do a cannon ball right
into the river of life! Jesus is there and He won’t let you drown! He’s inviting you in. Come
deeper. Jesus. The Name above all names. The Creator King, the Lover of our souls. Mighty Warrior,
Prince of Peace. More, Lord.
By Michele Degarmo, Board member and world traveler!
