Limited Connectivity

The ultimate frustration.

I sit in a puffy hotel chair, a computer in front of me. Now, at last, since it’s just Joshua and I here in this hotel room for the evening (and he’s buried in school), I’m going to take care of my out-of-control inbox. Take care of all the correspondence waiting for me.

I sign in.

Yep, there are a bunch of new emails waiting for me, not to mention the plenty already there. Friendly messages from childhood friends, a bunch of ministry correspondence, several business emails waiting to be composed… Oh, and that other email that has been waiting since December, since the answer has been evolving over the months.

I picture an empty inbox.

Everyone waiting on an answer from me satisfied. Oooo…. That would be wonderful. I’m going to take care of this, once and for all.

Wait, what’s this? 

Suddenly a little yellow strip appears at the top of my screen. “Unable to reach Gmail. Please check your Internet connection.” No. Not this, please. I check my Internet connection. “Signal strength: Excellent.” Good sign. Maybe. So why won’t this work? It was a moment ago…

Joshua is the one hard wired into the Internet right now, using Chantee’s laptop. He’s broadcasting the Internet to me. And I tell you, it was working a moment ago, very nicely. So what’s wrong? Joshua’s Internet is still working just fine. Neither of us have changed anything as far as we are aware. But now it isn’t working at all. Out goes the visions of a productive evening of conquering my renegade inbox and having it empty.

I try all the stunts. Joshua likewise tries all sorts of trouble shooting. Nothing works. The signal strength still claims to be excellent. But… it adds this: 

“This computer currently has limited connectivity to Chantee’s broadcast.” 

Limited connectivity… is that my problem? Okay, I give up. Forget the world wide web for tonight. I minimize my frozen inbox. Somewhere in the back of my mind something whispers that there is something to learn from this.

I don’t know about you, but I want to get something done in my spiritual walk. Don’t you want to accomplish, overcome, triumph, live… life more abundantly? Don’t you have visions of being a hero of the cross, of rescuing the perishing, the hungry, the abused, the suffering? Don’t you long to accomplish great things for the kingdom of heaven? 

I sure do.

What’s going wrong? One peek into the Word of God assures us that the signal strength coming from the Master of heaven - our source of power and only access to the universe wide network of servants of the Almighty God - is excellent. Good sign. Why then are we languishing, and our spiritual life frozen? I picture a sorrowful angel writing down in heaven’s record books: “This child of God currently has limited connectivity to God’s power.” Oh, if we want to get anywhere for the kingdom of heaven and its glorious King, this limited connectivity thing has to go! I review this past day, and see where there was limited connectivity in my experience. This computer has reminded me of the impotence, the uselessness, the weakness, the frustration, of such a position. I’m re-inspired to go after the kingdom of heaven and all its trophies with violence. I’m headed back to my knees. There is where power can be found...

See, isn’t God creative? He used a confusing computer, a delinquent Internet connection, and a frozen inbox to send me running after Him again. Come along with me, my friends. Let’s be done with this limited connectivity thing. It’s the ultimate frustration.


Comments

  1. Amen!! "The ultimate frustration..." So true.

    Thank you so much for sharing, Natasha. It was a blessing.

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  2. Amen....thanks Natasha for the reminder! I love it when the Lord uses the difficulties in our day to day life to reveal himself more clearly to us. May we be sensitive to his voice!

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  3. Thanks Tasha,
    I am afraid yesterday for me was one of those days when technology was a curse not a blessing. I had a background on a file that would persist in cutting off at the bottom every time I turned it to PDF "why"... no one knew! But Like you I learned a valuable lesson. Are we cutting God off? Just when he wants to make us "the complete picture". Are we saying "NO" I want this picture to have a little Emily in it?!....... Powerful lessons:)

    See sometimes God has to use even our messed up old was of "Communicating" to show us His grace...

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  5. Thank you Tasha! That was a beautiful post!

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  6. Wow, powerful object lesson! And it could be carried even further... Could there be other "signals" that are causing interference with our connectivity with heaven? I've been amazed at how perfectly many aspects of technology illustrate the Christian life. Thanks for sharing, Tasha! :)

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  7. Thank you, Natasha. I'm resonating with what you said. What a powerful lessons. There are big connectivity issues in my life, and they really bug me. Once again it is a call to stop my rush and connect with God, and don't move on unless I am connected. Did you know that it is God that plugs-in (grafts) all the wires though and makes the strong connection possible. We do have to hold still long enough for him to do it though. It reminds me of a little boy I know learning to sit still long enough to get his hair cut. I sure could do a better job when he was waiting patiently. I'm glad to see you writing here.

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  8. That was an awesome illustration... God allows those speed bumps for a purpose...so we'll slow down and rebuild the connection!

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  9. Thank you so much...I think I have been on limited connectivity way too much lately. What a great reminder. Praise God that when we see "limited connectivity, we can always click "try again"!

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  10. Thanks for sharing Tasha... what a heart-searching analogy.

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