I Love You Just the Way You Are…

By Aaron Greer Band • Oct 6th, 2008 • Category: Artists in Residence

I’ve always heard a saying that “God loves you just the way you are… but He refuses to leave you that way”. I must say, I’ve never been crazy about that line. I think one of the most important things about being a Christian is “life-improvement”. If our lives didn’t improve in some way when we come to know God, I don’t think most people would bother trying to know who He is. However, the “improvement” comes through challenge. And I’ve never liked that.

God uses the challenges in our lives, rather than the ease of life, to improve us. I guess that’s why I write this blog right now.

In one of my past blogs I wrote that I used to be involved in a Kiss Tribute Band. This was when I was 17-20 years old (over 10 years ago now)… and one of the things I always used to say about that band was that it was “the hardest band I’d ever been in”. And up until then, it really was. We had a greuling show, had to wear makeup, platform boots, elaborate costumes… it was tough. Then, contending with all the things that come along with a band (money, ego, scheduling, conflicts, management, and the like) this all made it rather difficult.

Then in 1999 (at the age of 21)… I joined a Christian Band after having hone through several changes in my life and answering the call of God. What I THEN came to realize is that the Tribute Band I used to be in was in fact EASY compared to being in a “Christian Band”. I mean, at least with the tribute band you had everything you were going to do already mapped out in front of you, what songs you were gonna play, who was gonna sing each song; you didn’t have to write material, all you had to do was recreate what had already been created.

And even now, in 2008, I find that Aaron Greer Band (my current band), is by far the HARDEST thing I think I’ve ever taken on in my whole life. Every day is a challenge in our ministry. Everything from funding, airplay, distribution, band management, performance dates… trying to coordinate it all is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But that’s not all… one of the most dissapointing and troubling things for me is having experienced that there are NO shortage of businesses, and even other ministries who you hire to help you, take hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars of your money and give you very little, or nothing, in return.

Then, there’s the occasional bad review where some “Christian freelance writer” decides it’s time to publicly embarass your ministry with a barrage of creative christian insults determing who you are, who your ministry targets, and whether your music is deemed worthy of anyone listening to.

There are times when I go to God and ask him “Why is this so hard? If I’m CALLED to this, and better yet if YOU called me to this… then why can’t you make this easier for me?”

And I think that’s where I’m finding the line of “God loves you just the way you are, but refuses to leave you that way”, comes into play.

It’s really funny, I think God is using my band in some particular way to “toughen me up” right now. I’ve never been a “tough guy”. I think I’ve grown spoiled to the fact that MOST things in my life should be easy. But this makes for a weak individual when the times really do get tough. And no, I hope that God won’t leave me a wimp.

I’ve got to remind myself, everyday, that it wasn’t easy for Jesus either. He himself who said, “If the world hates me it will SURELY hate you.” This coming from the sinless, son of God who wasn’t even accpeted in his hometown! This from the sinless son of God who even prayed that “this cup would pass from him”. This from Jesus himself who performed MIRACLES on the Earth to be led by the hands of those who hated him to a death which I can’t even imagine.

Ministry is never easy. But we do it because the sake of Jesus Christ is the only thing really worth living for.

And, I guess these are the times that God is refusing to let me remain the way I am, even if there are scars that willresult from it. And the improvement my life, character, and ministry will gain from it, I will be forever thankful for.

Thanks for reading,
aaron greer (agb)

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