You know those days when you have to manage a conversation with a company, but you know you have to overcome the automated system first? If you do it enough, you know which numbers to press or say before they finish their auto-speech, and it feels like victory in itself. Today was not one of those days.
Today, I made multiple calls and was transferred numerous times. The automated system would not let me skip ahead each time, even though I kept saying, “Representative.” When I finally got through and found out the place that helped me yesterday was not the place that could help me today, they transferred me. After I repeated all of my confirming information a second time, she said she could not help me either. I calmly asked for a supervisor and found myself on an eternal hold. I was beginning to sense this was an opportunity to overcome my flesh.
I hung up and tried calling directly, but had a better idea, so I hung up while the automated guy was refusing to send me to a “representative” in favor of finishing his programmed spiel. I called the other company to see if they could fix the issue from their end. Once their automated man was finished asking me to press or say numbers, I ended up in the entirely wrong department, but the lady was very kind and helpful. She transferred me to the correct department, but in the wrong area.
After an hour of automated systems, verifying my name, birthday, phone number, mailing address, and transfers, I finally found myself speaking to the correct person. They were helpful, but could not see what I was calling about on their system, and then the call dropped. I assume he did not hang up on me, though no one called me back, even though I had confirmed my phone number multiple times.
I should be enraged. Maybe I’m just tired, or perhaps I’ve achieved a moment of spiritual maturity that says, love your enemies. I did get slightly perturbed by the automated guy, but I self-corrected. I realized early in the hour that this would be a challenge, and I could decide right then how I would respond to it. I chose to draw on the fruit of the Spirit – “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:22-24).
The best part of today’s choice and experience is that the rest of my day is available to me to enjoy. I will not engage in every activity with the angst of this morning’s experience. I will not have a tape looping in my mind of what I could have said or wish I had not said. I will not need to be embarrassed next time I speak to these companies. That feels like victory.
Transformation is a beautiful thing. Leaning on God in every circumstance and surrendering to His way of doing things until it becomes our natural response leads us to victory and leaves us with joy and peace in every opportunity. Paul said it well, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
Pastor Dave McCabe used to say, “It is not about behavior modification, but transformation.” These are the trials that show us which one we have been pursuing. When we are easily tempted into a fleshly response, maybe we have been trying to control our behavior instead of surrendering to God’s transforming process. Or, we are in the process of transformation and had a setback. Our response to failure is the most important. Are we quick to repent, or do we spend the rest of the day arguing our points in our minds or with sympathetic friends?
I will not pretend that I get it right every time; I am still in the process of being transformed, too. Yet, I will celebrate today’s victory as I recognize that I overcome these temptations more than I used to, and more often now than I don’t. We tend to look at how far we have to go instead of seeing how far we have come.
I hope you take time to recognize your growth and celebrate your victories today. Notice how far you have come in Jesus. Give Him the glory, but also celebrate the victories with Him. He certainly sees and celebrates you!
Check out Jacquie’s latest Bible study, Nehemiah Build That Wall, and revised study, Becoming Israel: Jacob’s Struggle.
Nehemiah, where passion turns to action and God-size dreams are fulfilled. Find your own purpose and destiny in Nehemiah’s story, as well as gain tools to overcome enemy tactics.
Becoming Israel, revised edition. Find hope, healing, and purpose through this in-depth study of Jacob’s life, family, and struggle to find his place and purpose in God’s kingdom.