Are you a person who likes routine? Do you do the same thing in the same way just because it's the way you’ve always done it? I don’t know about you, but once I find a specific thing at a restaurant that I like, I order it every time. Doesn’t matter what specials they might be running that day. I really don't care that the waitress is telling me about their featured item on the menu. I appreciate the suggestion, but no, I do not want to change from my usual. Why? Because I know that my usual works. I know I like it. I know it will not let me down. While this might not be wrong, (I mean what can be wrong with ordering the Whiskey River BBQ Burger from Red Robin with steak fries covered in their special spice mix??), we do have to be careful that we do not treat God the same way.
As I was reading a book by Mark Batterson, I came across this phrase: “change of pace, change of place.” This stopped me in my tracks. I realized that too often I put God in this box. “God, I will spend time with you here and here, but let’s not change it up. It’s working. It’s safe this way.” But God hasn’t called us to be safe. Instead, we can see all throughout Scripture that God is challenging people to step out. When we step out of our normal routine and shake things up a bit, it’s amazing how God will use that to speak to us in a fresh way.
Let me be clear. There is nothing wrong with routine. Routines are what help us grow and learn new things. In fact, we just finished a teaching series based on the book Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel that taught us how to create new neural pathways through repetition. So, routines in and of themselves are not a bad thing. The problem comes when we find ourselves stagnant in our walk with Christ because He has become just an item on a checklist on our schedule.
Sometimes we need to change it up a bit. Change the pace and change the place of where and when we meet with Him. What can that look like? Do you get up and sit in the same chair every morning to spend your quiet time with God? Maybe try and change where you sit. Do you normally just read a devotional or the Bible? This time, grab a pen and notebook and write down some things that stick out to you. Do you usually listen to the radio in your car on the way to work? Try turning the noise off and take that time to talk with God.
These are just a few suggestions of ways that God may want to interact with you in a slightly different way this week. Give it a try. See what happens when you dare to step out a little and try something different. You never know what God may be trying to say to you. Maybe a little bit of change in your routine might make it a little easier for you to hear Him.
Change up the pace, change up the place. Try it out!
