My good friend, Krista, shared this story with me. She started her day right, with a great Personal Worship Time with the Lord. She was charged up, filled with the Spirit and ready to glorify God through her day. She decided to bless her husband by making him a smoothie before they headed out to work. It was time to leave and as she reached for the container with the smoothie, she accidently knocked it over!

In a split second, all the spiritual “mojo” she seemed to have gained throughout the morning was now gone. She was now sad, angry, discouraged and frustrated. She reacted by saying a few “choice” words. She yelled at her husband. As she described it, “It was ugly.” A dark cloud now hovered over her as she and her husband got into the car. But he bravely turned to her and gently said, “Krista, let it go.”

Her first instinct was to lash back at him with an angry comment, but “something” held her back. That “something” also caused her to step back, let go of the spilled smoothie, and cry to God for help. She took a deep breath, smiled at her husband (genuinely), and said, “You’re right. Thanks!”

Now that was a Whole Life Worship moment in a manifold sense!

First of all, Krista was able to get back to “Christ-centered” mode. I believe that her Personal Worship Time and filling of the Spirit was what got her back. If she had not invested that time with Jesus, the likelihood of her being able to receive her husband’s suggestion would be slim or none.

Second, even though her spiritual “endorphins” left the moment the smoothie spilled over, the Holy Spirit didn’t. He was still there. The Spirit never leaves us; even when dark thoughts and sinful attitudes invade our soul. We might even “act out” in sin, but the Holy Spirit stays with us when we invite Him to fill us. His voice was the “something” that held her back and rethink her situation. We shouldn’t confuse spiritual endorphins (good feelings) with the Holy Spirit, or believe that He bails on us at the moment of spiritual attack.

Third, because Krista practices Worship in the Everyday Ordinary she was in the habit of not judging or reacting to her situations (good or bad), but to “notice” them and surrender them to the Lordship of Christ. Her soul was in good condition to respond to the Spirit’s promptings.

Fourth, certainly the devil wanted to get her goat. This was spiritual attack. Satan was looking for an opportune moment to bring Krista to a point of anger and outburst, which would result in shame and broken relationships. But it was spiritual attack that our Sovereign Lord allowed. God had a deeper purpose in mind – that was to strengthen her ability to surrender her situation when she gets overwhelmed.

It also serves as a “reflection point.” In the discipline of examen, Krista could now bring this incident before the Lord and ask Him why she reacted so strongly to the spilled smoothie. There was obviously something under the surface of her consciousness that God, in His providence, allowed to bring out in the open. In humility and safety, Krista can now explore an issue within her soul that was hidden before. Through the power of Christ, she can now move into the transformation process in this issue.

Cultural wisdom says, “Don’t cry over spilled milk.” But the fact remains that milk (or a smoothie) does get spilled. And, let’s be honest, sometimes we do cry over it; no matter how mature we think we are.

But in our journey with Jesus, Whole Life Worship helps us to recognize, recover and be transformed through these “spilled smoothie” incidents in our lives.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor 10:5)