“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”

There’s a “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”! Not that I know anything about this song! Jerry Lee Lewis made it famous in 1957. Let’s just say that was way before my time, but I did check it out on the internet recently, because a conversation I had reminded me of it.

“Karen, you’re shaking me up; you’re rocking my boat!” This comment took me by surprise. “And why is that?” I asked my friend. “I’m reading your book, Marginalysis!” I thought for a moment. “Ah, I don’t think I can take credit for that. It’s probably the work of the Holy Spirit!” Now my friend looked surprised.

Thought-provoking. Challenging. Convicting. If what we’re reading doesn’t do some of this in us, what good is it? None of us have arrived. We all have room to grow and areas that need improvement in our relationship with the Lord. We like to think we have it all together, and we like making others think we have it all together. However, when something comes along and makes us stop in our tracks and compels us to examine our belief system or habits, we cringe. It’s at this point that I have a choice: I can shrug it off as irrelevant to me or listen to the Holy Spirit and make needed adjustments.

We all like to be comfortable. I understand that. Shaking and rocking our world is not fun. Stretching and using muscles that have begun to atrophy hurts, but that’s exactly what we must do in order to keep growing in Christ and the knowledge of God’s Word. But we don’t have time for that! Right? It’s important we take the time.

My other two books, “Connections” and “Mom, God’s Got This” (especially the latter) are known for challenging long-held belief systems as well. It can be prickly when we’re forced to rethink our conclusions against the truth of God’s Word. Our tendency is to avoid rocking the boat because we like what we know and where we are. The truth is we won’t grow if we intake only what tickles our fancy and doesn’t require anything from us.

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21).

This Christian life is a journey of following, serving, and growing in Jesus and helping others do the same. I don’t always get it right. I’m still learning obedience and how to be more like Jesus. A little shaking things up is sometimes good for the soul. Likewise, a “whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on” may be just what we need!