Breakthrough Night, Miracle Sunday, Day of Transformation, 40 Days of Overcoming, Crossover Night, Spiritual Altars, and Weekend of Victory—our internet age is never short of spiritual invitations.

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As a result, we turn to church event after church event, fellowship after fellowship, launch after launch, looking for a “zap,” a super-high moment where the curtains will shake as we “encounter the move of the Spirit” to change us, and everything, forever!

But what if God works more like a carpenter than like a rocket launcher?

Whereas God has the potential to instantly transform us in the blink of an eye, like he will do on the last day, this side of heaven, his purposes are often stretched out in how we wake up, spend our day, and go to bed in his presence.

It’s Ruth gleaning in Boaz’s garden, it’s the boy Jesus carried by parents for circumcision, it’s Mary’s interrupted betrothal, it’s Roman rulers ordering a census, and it’s little David staying back with sheep in the field when a potential life-changing ordination is happening.

In other words, the highs and lows of our ordinary days are where God is often shaping redemptive history, not only when we retreat to prayer mountain or attend another Overcomer’s fellowship.

Specifically think of Peter the Apostle; towards his master’s crucifixion, he was the “ball of sunshine” among Jesus’s apostles, speaking highly of his determination to die with Christ. He would probably be singing with Chris Tomlin’s “where you go, I will go. ”

As predicted, a few moments later, a little girl in the courtyard is already challenging his previous energy and spiritual zeal, as he succumbs and denies Christ, not once but thrice. Thankfully, his exposed human weakness is forgiven for the sake of others he will preach to.

Sooner rather than later, he’s back at his “being human,” this time acting “out of step with the gospel” (Gal 2:14) by avoiding fellowship with Gentile believers when his fellow Jews arrive.

Grace to him this time shows up through Paul’s rebuke.

You’d think that a man who went up the mountaintop with the eternal Son of God during the transfiguration would handle small matters, like brave little girls in courtyards, but wueh! Flesh and blood have their limits; nobody hits notification bells on spiritual growth!

Unlike the promise of Christian fellowships, internet gurus, and event promoters, becoming and being a Christian is a miracle in the heart, which does not always translate into an instant 360-degree turn just because you felt a certain way last weekend.

Like author Matt Smerthurst puts it, “People who have encountered God tend to walk with a limp, not a strut.”

Sin goes slowly, sometimes making turns instead of “going”; habits die hard, and sometimes they only “faint,” we realize. Don’t let deliverance sessions fool you; the T in our transformation stands for “time.”

We put on the new self in Christ and put off “the old self” until we die. This side of heaven, nobody graduates from the gospel.

Like they say, how loud you cry during your repentance is not what matters, but how you walk afterwards. In that sense, when you become a Christian, you sign up for a marathon, not a masterclass, an event, or a feeling.

By his power, we go round and round, pressing on towards the prize, settling into a pace, feeling our wobbly knees, lifting eyes to Christ, and constantly grabbing a biblical promise to quench our spiritual thirst. (Yet unlike earthly athletes) we look to an eternal reward that does not perish.

We are confident that he who began a good work in us will carry it to the end. Even if little voices sometimes distract, or “fear of men” gets us out of step with the gospel.

And oh, like Peter, don’t we also sometimes end up rescued and forgiven for the sake of others?

Apostle Peter (later) was transformed indeed, as demonstrated through his writing of two fully inspired Bible books, 1 and 2 Peter!

Grace, it is called!