Transitions Can Be Hard to Accept
Sometimes it is hard to say yes to God because we don’t want to give up on a dream. My band Atomic Opera was signed to Warner Brothers Records, released an album, had a couple music videos on MTV, toured all over and lived the rock n’ roll dream.
While we were on tour I found out we were dropped, the ride was over and we crawled back to Houston with our tails between our legs. I spent the next ten years producing other artists while trying to get my band going again. I attended worship at a Church on Sunday morning with hymnals, pipe organ, choir and candles and I led the music for a liturgical church plant on Sunday evenings called Christ Anglican.
I received an unexpected phone call inviting me to sing and play guitar on Sunday morning. At first I couldn’t imagine doing it and tried to dismiss the idea. It was a church in the suburbs of Houston doing contemporary music with a praise band.
Let me say that again: The suburbs! A praise band!
Why would I want to play in Christian cover band. I’m an artist.
I didn’t want to do it but God had other plans. It seemed like He was saying, “I want you to do this—go to Katy Texas and lead the CrossPoint praise band.’”
In my heart I said, “No Lord, I really don’t think this is a good idea. How about if You miraculously help me to get another record deal instead?” “Please?” In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
The words “no” and “Lord” shouldn’t be used together in the same sentence.
I didn’t want to give up on my dream of being an artist but I have learned that I can’t win an argument with God.
I accepted the position and for the next 500 Sunday mornings or so I have sucked in my pride, straightened out my un-tucked shirt, walked up on the stage and played music to glorify God—glorify God—not me.
It was sad when the record label dropped my band but there is another way to look at it. I call it the Chuck E. Cheese Principle: Dad takes his child to the earth’s most annoying pizza place on a Saturday afternoon because he loves his kid. It doesn’t matter how long he lets the child stay and play because when it’s time to go the kid is going to throw a fit. There will be tears and tantrums. The child is not thankful that they came, only sad that they are leaving.
It’s hard to trust that when God wakes us from one dream to begin another it is for our good and not to harm us.
Have you ever had trouble with a transition?