If Only I Had More....

Eric Copeland

Fess up, how many of you really want THIS as your New Years Resolution?

Well, it IS true isn't it? We want more. More gigs, more playing time in the praise team, more gear, more money for our trouble, more constructive criticism of your work (as long as it's positive!), more acknowledgement of our talent...

Don't get offended if one (or more) of these mores is you. It's only natural and kind of a occupational hazard that we long for more.

So what do we do? I mean, we have the best of intentions. It's all for God right? We truly do have it in our hearts that if we could just get more (your answer here) we could be a HUGE vehicle for God! We could change the world if we just had a little more.

This is hard because I know at this time of year, it seems like everything slows down. Money gets tight. Churches are in Holiday mode. Everyone is traveling or taking time away. It's a time when doubts begin to creep in, and you start wondering, "Maybe I should think about becoming a professional basketball player?" (Sorry, that's me. And judging by the way I played recently, that would be a really bad decision.)

It's these times when we need to pray and get closer to God. Not necessarily a time to "wait", but to "wait upon the Lord".

Psalm 37:

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

So, what's the answer here. Wait on God, but shouldn't you do something in the meantime??

Of course, here's what you do. Something else.

I think we all know about seasons that we go through. Sometimes there are busy seasons where you are using your talent all the time and you feel like you are a dynamic force of God. Like some weird mix of Chuck Norris and John the Baptist!

And sometimes things slow down so much you wonder if you should be doing it at all?

Take advantage of this time. Tend to the other areas of your life and ministry.

Nothing happening on the gig front? Practice. Write new songs. Get processes in place.

I remember this fall, after a busy 6-7 months here in Nashville, suddenly work came to a bit of a grinding halt. I had to hustle a bit for work, and bills were a little late.

For a few days I wondered what was up. Was God trying to tell me something?

Actually, He did.

I went back to the drawing board on how I did my work, and put some new ideas into practice. Since then, we've been blessed with twice as much work as before then. However, had the slow time not come, I would never had put those processes in place that now make life and work so abundant.

So, try that. If things are slowing down and you're wondering why and you feel so strongly that if you just had more...try to look in some different directions. Stretch your mind and see what you've been missing.

No gigs? Use this time to read up and learn about booking (more on this below!).

Need more gear? Find out what you're using of what you have? Can you do things with it you didn't know? Can you sell it or something else you don't need and buy what you need?

Feel unappreciated? Research who your audience is and see if you're ministering to the right people.

Reached a ceiling in your playing? Change your environment. Challenge your preconceived notions of how you play. Play with people WAY better than you. That'll do it.

Is your material getting stale? Come to Nashville and spend the day writing with us. Arm yourself with new material to minister with!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years.

Maybe, 2006 will be more than you ever expected.

(You can get more info about  Eric Copeland here! )