Don’t Budge!

Like many women, flexibility is my strong suite. I’ve always thought the ability to “make due” should be listed in 1 Corinthians 12, because I’m fairly certain it’s my primary spiritual gift! Whether it’s concocting a dinner from the three random ingredients we have on hand, or tacking up two-dozen nails to hang cooking utensils on the kitchen wall that didn’t have drawers, or putting two armed chairs together as a makeshift bed for our toddler, I thrive on the challenge of creatively adjusting to changing circumstances.

And yet.

I’ve sometimes wondered if we can take the flexibility fixation a little too far. Is it possible, as a follower of Christ, to be too flexible?

I recently re-read a familiar verse that struck me in a new way:

“Therefore, beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain.” (2 Cor. 15:58)

Paul says to be immovable.

As in, Don’t budge.

It was in light of this that I considered my weekly day of fasting and seeking God in prayer. Usually, I’m just “flexible” *smile* with my day, and take it as it comes. This time, I structured my time in order to make sure I was really spending time in prayer and seeking Him. Though I was with and attentive to my kids all day, I scheduled one hour, from 1-2pm, for focused, uninterrupted prayer.

The time came. I had just hung all our laundry out to dry on the line outside. The kids were happily playing in the yard. I sat down. Ahh…yes. I began praying.

At 1:09pm, I heard the sound. Rain. Seriously?! It’s been sunny all day, and I sit down to pray while my laundry dries and now it’s raining! I began to lift myself from the couch, but the phrase ran again through my mind:

Be immovable…

Immovable.

Don’t budge.

I knew then that this moment was a picture of my life. So often, I make commitments to spiritual growth, but the slightest distraction keeps me from following through. And while it might only take ten minutes to take down all the laundry and bring it inside, chances are then my kids will begin interacting with them, then when I’m downstairs I’ll see our housemates and start to chat, then I’ll make myself a cup of tea—I could see so clearly how easily I drift from discipline. How simple it is to be sidetracked.

So I stayed. Immovable. I kept praying. The rain began coming down harder. I looked up at the skylight above my head. Fat droplets rolled down the glass. I closed my eyes, shut it out, kept praying. The rain came harder. I knew I had to stay. This was my hour to pray and somehow I knew, I had to press through. My kids came upstairs, rained out of their outside play. And though they were being kind and respectful, in our small, old house I could hear every word, every noise.

Like little hooks, each sound snagged my thoughts and pulled it away from prayer.

So I stuck my fingers in my ears.

Yes, I did. I sat on the couch, for an hour, praying with my fingers in my ears, while the kids played at my feet and the rain poured on the laundry outside.

At some point I heard Jeff come in from his office and yell upstairs, “Kari?? Do you want me to bring the laundry in?!” 

I smiled to myself—he must have thought I was crazy. “Yes, please! Thank you, babe!” I said in a cheerful voice, without moving. I happened to be in the Thanksgiving portion of my prayer time, and my next words were, “Thank you God for Jeff getting the laundry! And thank you for a husband who serves me and trusts me even when I appear to be crazy!” (He later crept up and snuck this picture of the scene. Ha!)

I kept praying. And at the very end of an hour, it was so worth it. I  heard from God, been amazed at truths in His Word, was able to intercede mightily for many real needs in our life, and saw the power of being immovable.

Sometimes the greatest strength is exerted by not moving a muscle. Sometimes staying power is the greatest power of all.

Stay steadfast, friends, immovable: Don’t budge.

{Thanks for reading.}