People can be flaky.
In the past year, a buyer ghosted me after committing to buying my vehicle. Someone I invested in deeply as a pastor left our church without even saying a word to me. A friend dedicated to helping me with a project abandoned things when their association with me was unpopular with other friends.
Ever thrown a party only for people to bail at the last minute because they got a better option? Been stood up on a first date with someone you met on an app? Had to harass someone to send you money because you covered their bill?
Flaky people can make us skeptical and cynical. The bitterness of these experiences can even begin to impact our expectations in our relationship with God.
If you've been struggling with flaky people, you need to listen to the new collaboration between Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, and Anthony Garguila. "Constant" is a keyboard-driven song that combines Sparks' wide vocal range with the soulful lyrics of Maverick City and Garguila's youthful exuberance. The song contrasts the chaotic human experience with God's constant faithfulness to His people.
In a post on their Facebook page, Maverick City Music wrote, "Family, we're beyond excited to share this with you all! This song reminds us of God's faithfulness to us—in every wave and every storm, He remains constant through it all."
As I listened to the song and considered the lyrics, my mind was drawn to the countless Scripture references present in it and the three reminders "Constant" offers listeners like me.
First, God is powerful over the waves that crash on us during a crisis. The band sings faith-filled lyrics in the chorus about God's response to their adversity.
"When the waves crash hard
And I fall back down
You're on it, You're on it"
These lyrics reminded me of God's promise to His people during the days of Babylonian captivity and the loss of their homes. In Isaiah 51, we read, "For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea, causing its waves to roar. My name is the Lord of Heaven's Armies… I am the one who says to Israel, 'You are my people!'" The waves we feel are real, but we don't have to fear them because God is sovereign.
Second, "Constant" reminds us that surrender is the secret to a breakthrough. In the second verse, we hear about the lessons from hard times.
"Rebuilding a fortress, oh
And now when I bend, when I break
Through the pain, I'm learning
I surrender my burdens (I surrender my burdens)"
As I thought about learning to surrender, I thought of Jesus' famous invitation in Matthew 11. "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." We must learn to shift from carrying burdens and trying to control life to resting in Jesus and only carrying what He called us to shoulder.
Third, "Constant" teaches us that the solution to fear is not a change in circumstances but a shift in focus. In the song's final verse, we see the secret to overcoming fear.
"And the waves obey Your voice
I will not fear
Because I know You're with me, Lord."
The lyrics refer to the moment in Mark 4:38-41 when the disciples awaken Jesus during a storm, calling him to save them. The waves stop when Jesus rebukes them, saying, "Be still!" Hundreds of years before this moment, the prophet Isaiah shared the words of God as He shared the secret to overcoming fear. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God."
I'm so glad that these reminders that I saw align with the intention of Maverick City Music for "Constant." In a post on their Instagram profile, the band wrote, "This is your Sunday reminder that you have an ever-present, never-failing, always-loving Constant in your life! God's goodness is always, and His love for you is unconditional."
The next time someone flakes out on you or your cynicism shows up in your relationship with God, pause and hit play on "Constant" by Maverick City Music. The song will remind you that there is no one like our God!
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
