Just because you get some favor in real life doesn’t always mean you are being brought closer to God’s heart. Similarly, ‘demotion’ in real life doesn’t always mean a demotion in God. In fact the up’s and down’s of life are not always valid indicators of your life in God.
A new policy at IHOP regarding singers has them set up with 3 prophetic/antiphonal singers in the front and 3 group singers in back as the ensemble. This change starts today, and many singers that once held a more dominate role are now sitting in a group of three sharing one microphone and one monitor mix as they serve the team in a unique manner. (On a side note, I am so grateful for the ensemble singers. They are leading the charge in a way that is still unknown to us.)
I’m sure that many singers may be feeling like they’ve been demoted. “Well, I just didn’t make the cut. I guess I’m not prophetic after all. Woe is me.” However, when I was talking to a friend about their new role as part of the ensemble they said, “I feel like I’ve been promoted by God.”
How often do we use our external circumstances and positions as the basis to determin if God likes us or not? In actuality the up’s and down’s of life are often normal.
We will deal with the praise and rejection of men for our entire life. But what we can easily forget is that God uses and even orchestrates these circumstances for us to produce love, meekness and purity within us. A wise Man once said that men look at the outward apperance but God looks at the heart.
If you are in a demotion season or a promotion season my advice is the same: Choose meekness and stay faithful.
11 comments
retroman said:
I find that many times the “demotion” is an opportunity/test for spiritual “promotion”. My prayer has been for awhile that God would keep me “hidden” and away from the type of outward promotion that has potential to crush me under a heavier weight than I could bear.
The result is that, contrary to the face value of my prayer, a lot of outward things ministry wise are increased, but somehow I have been able to handle both the leadership responsibility, and the spiritual/personal warfare that comes against me.
Events in my life the past month (converging during the GBF ironically) would have crushed me 2 years ago, but I saw God’s hand helping me out of difficult places.
I’ll be watching for this improved structure of prophetic singers on the webcast. CBB
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 6:54 am
{Shawn} said:
@ Retro: You’re touching on a great issue. That the ‘valley’ seasons of our life are a chance for us to prepare so we can truly soar durring the ‘mountain’ seasons.
It is good to hear that the Lord is helping you through tough times. And if I had a nickle for every time something significant seemed to take place durring the GBF I’d have a lot of nickles…
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 8:21 am
tyler said:
So true Shawn. Thank you for your ministry of sharing, sometimes when we just share things we realize how many people are in the same place. I really enjoy your blog, mostly because it causes me to look at myself and think about where i am.
Thanks buddy!!!
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Ronni said:
What bugs me the most is that when people around you see things in your life go kaput… they think you are in sin, or God is demoting you. I got fired on Monday… and you know what? It was NOT a demotion. If anything, I feel promoted. God held my hand through all of this and put me back on a path I was avoiding. We need to stop looking at external circumstances. We need to stop judging people when only God truly knows where someone is at.
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 3:16 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Tyler: Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad I’ve been an encouragement. And thanks for having me in your wedding!
@ Ronni: I’m glad that you’re in a divine season with the Lord. When we stand before the Lord it will be His assesment of our life that will true and right. Even our own assesment of may not be accurate.
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 3:27 pm
loud said:
Awesome post, bro. Definitely keeps things in line for us, mentally and at a heart level. I think about that a lot — who’s really leading worship, me at the mic, or that outcast in the back of the room who’s just weeping her heart out to Jesus? :sigh: must be slave of all…
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 6:09 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Loud: I don’t know if you were at the Friday night EGS service last week but that was a prime example of the room leading worship. They were directing us.
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Michaela said:
That Friday EGS service was amazing. I’ve never sense the presence of the Lord as strongly as I did over the webcast.
My own seasons that the world and even fellow christians would call demotion have been the greatest gift from the Lord for my life. Not only do you find out things like how much you gain your value from your title or role and all the other weeds that have grown in your heart, but you also find out who are real friends and who just wanted to be around you because they thought that you were “important”.
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Ronni said:
Shawn: Thanks, this definitely is a divine season. I’ve felt this coming for months. I can’t wait to see where He takes me!
Michaela: I’m excited to see who comes out in the wash. I know over the past few months I’ve lost a good number of friends. I’ve also seen who was there to pray for me, and hold me up when I needed it. Those are the people I want to walk with.
If there is anything these seasons can teach you, it is where your strength truly lies. What a great lesson!
Posted on March 1, 2007 at 11:03 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Ronni: You said
“If there is anything these seasons can teach you, it is where your strength truly lies.”
Sounds like Song of Songs 8 to me. He’s teaching you, and all of us, to come out of the wilderness leaning on Him.
Posted on March 2, 2007 at 6:50 am
Ronni said:
I only hope I’m coming out of the wilderness…
I haven’t read that in so long, but I’m grateful that the Spirit has burnt that into me.
Perhaps the word “alone” no longer applies to those of us that walk with God. I never feel alone anymore, and I’m so flippin’ grateful!
Posted on March 2, 2007 at 7:05 am