Christ Mode

‘No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.’ I Corinthians 10:13

Nneka removed her heels, picked them up, and ran. The bus was leaving her at her stop. As she ran, she yelled and waved; both actions didn’t help an iota. People standing near the moving bus, beat the body until her colleagues pushed open the windows and saved the day.

She got to work still ruffled, not on the external, but inside. She worried about her workload for the day. It irritated her to no end since the night before, her Supervisor called to tell her to take on some extra tasks. She couldn’t say no, but she already had so much on her plate and deadlines to meet.

She was chosen her for the additional work because she was amongst the best in her department. With all the recent additions to her load, how could she remain in her position or even take the number one place? These were the questions Nneka chewed on when she woke up, as she prayed, as she took a bath and dressed. The late arrival at the bus-stop was also a result of her early morning meditation.

What do you think happened? Our girl went straight into fast-mode.

She did everything faster than usual. Checked off work as she finished and with every tick, felt better and better. At 2:00 pm, she could take a break, and she couldn’t believe it. She thought there would be no time for anything except work that day and thanked God for the little time off.

At 4:00 pm, her Supervisor called her into the office. Nneka walked there with confidence, proud of her accomplishments for the day. When offered a seat, she smiled at her Supervisor as she took it, expecting praise.

“Is there anything bothering you or anything I should know about?” Her Supervisor asked.

“No, I’m fine. Why are you asking?” Nneka said, straightening in the seat, her smile gone, and her brow furrowed.

“I’ve gotten three complaints from your customers on your work, and one of your colleagues mentioned that you snapped at her this morning. It’s not like you at all. What’s up?”

Nneka’s heart skipped several beats, and her face fell. After everything she put in, her strategy didn’t pay off. She sat back in her chair, unaware she did that and forgot where she was, lost in thought.

“Nneka, are you with me? I’m worried about you. I’ll take off some of the work I delegated to you yesterday, maybe that will help. Please know you can come to me when you want to talk, alright? Kindly call Chika in on your way out.” Her Supervisor said, dismissing her.

The meeting ended, and so did her Supervisor’s intention to recommend Nneka as a supervisor in the next quarter. The GM asked for a name the night before, and it was a struggle to chose between her best performing staff members. Nneka stayed consistent, so the Supervisor decided on a test for her the next day. Nneka was unaware of any of this.

How do we deal with pressure?

In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul states that the Israelites all experienced God’s great acts together. The cloud, the fire, the Red Sea, manna, and water from the rock. Yet, God was not happy with some. Paul listed the reasons and advice (1 Corinthians 10:11-13).

Today, we have so much more in Christ. The covering is available; grace and mercy, which are new every morning, are there; the Holy Spirit, with everything that comes with God’s presence, is accessible. However, at the first sign of trouble, we fly into the own-strength mode. I know I do.

There is grace, mercy, wisdom, and knowledge in God’s presence, available for every test or trial we face. All we need to do as God’s meek children is to rush into His presence and drop the pressure at His feet, with gratitude. How many have such a divine Father?

We need to be aware at all times of the state of our minds. We call the Lord’s name in worship and worry about how to survive, in one breath. At a point, the truth is, we get tired, not understanding what the use of calling the sacred name is anyway.

It’s easy to revert to Nneka mode, but we should always be on Christ mode.

Till next time, be transformed!!