Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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If you made it past the title of this post, congratulations.
Now, take courage and keep reading.
“The Great But Reversal.” No friends, it isn’t some new snazzy dance move where we back that thang up. Nor is it the next Charlie Brown movie. However, it is a very powerful and influential concept that can change our thinking in a matter of seconds.
Consider how many times we use that sneaky preposition “but” in a single day.
I really should go for a run… but it is cold outside.
I need to go to the grocery store… but this couch is so comfy.
Yeah, yeah, I should apologize… but she started it.
You see what I am getting at? It is a great excuse maker. A lot of power in that little three-letter word.
With power can come pain and a really jacked up perspective, especially when we apply it to the ones we love. Let’s try another example:
Husband, I love you… BUT it drives me absolutely bonkers when you leave your smelly army-boot socks on the floor.
Read that sentence again… Notice “but” essentially negates the entire first half, aka the positive piece, of that statement. Sure, I love my husband, BUT the emphasis here is misplaced. Pretty counterproductive to our relationship, right?
Now, enter stage left: The Great But Reversal. Switch that sentence around.
Husband, it drives me absolutely bonkers when you leave your smelly army-boot socks on the floor… BUT I love you.
Wait, what!?! Did you see what happened there? The point still came across (Please, for the Love of All Things Covered in Chocolate stop leaving your gross socks on the floor!) BUT… the statement ended with love and affirmation via the roots of the relationship.
Is that a cool Everyday Jesus moment or WHAT?!?
The Great But Reversal can also work wonders in our relationship with God.
God, I know you work all things for good for those who love you… BUT things are just so bad/painful/scary/uncertain right now.
There we are, dwelling on the negative (yeah, guilty) and essentially insinuating doubt in God’s promises. BUT watch what happens when we pull a little preposition switcheroo:
God, things are just so bad/painful/scary/uncertain right now… BUT I know you work all things for good for those who love you.
This is seriously blowing my mind, friends. For reals.
Have you ever really thought about this Great But Reversal before? I know it has changed my perspective significantly. Where in you life do you need to engage this technique? Write your before and after But Reversal statements below in the comment section.
Take some time over the coming week to really think about how we can shift our perspective and find Jesus in our Everyday by switching up these short little phrases… Before you speak, take a prepositional time out, back that thang up and engage…
THE GREAT BUT REVERSAL.
God is greater than our Prepositions,
“Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.” ~Colossians 3:2 MSG
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