There is a song I used to minister in church, a few years ago. I always got excited when my pastor requested this particular song. I don’t know why I loved it so much, now that I think about it. Maybe it was the ‘patois’ vibe I got to mimic? Maybe I thought the message was so profound? I honestly cannot remember. This was at least 3 years ago.
Recently though, this song has been on my mind a lot. Now, when I sing it, I feel rebuke and conviction…and it’s because I became the character in that song. Here are the lyrics; take a moment to digest them.
Johnny…
Johnny
Johhny used to go to church when he had no money in his pocket
Johnny was always faithful in his work whenever the door was open he was at church
Johnny’s prayer was lord bless me I need a job I’m on my face
God bless johnny with a job he was not qualified for now he hardly find time for church.
Cho
Johnny remember where you coming from
And where your life could have been
God bless you with a better life and now you hardly have time for him
Rept x2
When you were nothing you used to walk in his presence, slowly patient waiting on him
Now you have a degree, a master, and a PHD then you try to contradict everything
Remember, when you were on your knees saying lord, I need a car
If you bless me, I would come to church more often
God bless you and where did you park?
Cho
Johnny remember where you coming from
And where your life could have been
God bless you with a better life and now you hardly have time for him
Ohhh
Rept x2
You used to pray before you go to bed
Even thank him for, every little a slice a bread
Remember when you couldn’t afford to buy a shoes
Now you can buy any style, and any colour that you choose
Why can’t you teach your children how to pray
Your mother taught you that’s why you even blessed you today
Satan trying hard to keep you occupied
But God has been so good, he has never left your side.
Cho
Johnny remember where you coming from
And where your life could have been
God bless you with a better life and now you hardly have time for him
Rept x2
Ohh oh ohhhh
Remember where you coming from
Ohh oh ohhhh
Remember where you coming from
Ohh oh ohhhh
Remember where you coming from
Ohh oh ohhhh
Remember where you coming from
Through my college years, and a while post-college, I had one prayer topic which I was very consistent in talking to God about- I needed a breakthrough. Often times when I would go on my knees to beg God for this breakthrough, I would recall Hannah, the mother of Samuel. I would recall her bravery in striking a deal with God and I would put myself in that same position. This became more of a thing after I had prayed for months for the breakthrough I envisioned to manifest. When God’s answer was not looking like what I expected, I got to negotiating with Him. “God if you do this for me, I promise I will do that” For a while, God was not delivering the way I envisioned, and then one day He did.
As an outgoing college student who was uncertain about her future, I dreaded questions from inquiring minds, about my future and the next step. It depressed me and caused me to worry, every time I heard the question “so what next?” or “what can you do with a communication major?” I didn’t want to deal with the reality that I wasn’t sure where I was going or what I would be doing with my major after college- it seemed like I had made a mistake with my field of study, and I could not afford to show people that I may have agreed with them. So, I googled and found a cool job title and fired that at people who asked where my life was headed. When I got the exact job, I was beside myself with excitement,…and terror. How was I going to survive exactly? Especially in a field I felt underqualified for.
Anyway, God blessed me with that job and he added unmerited favor as a bonus. I was loved by the people who mattered 😁 This blessing was so huge to me, especially after years of praying for such a reality. I immediately recognized the magnitude of this blessing and I was sure never to let an opportunity slide where I could show God that I was grateful for what He was doing. Every morning without fail, I read my Bible, sang love songs to my sweet Jesus, wrote down His instructions for me for my day or week, listened to sermons or Christian music on my way to work, spoke in tongues alongside, prayed at my desk with thanksgiving in my heart, prayed for the organization and all the staff in it. I showed God that I knew He was the source, and I genuinely believed it.
Work was going great and getting better by the day. Half the time I was confused and panicking, but God Always showed me He had it under control. The more the days went by, the more I was loved, and the more my responsibility became. They say “to whom much is given, much is expected”. Knowing this, I braced myself for more work, and I only saw success ahead of me. Then, one day I failed to do what I used to do without fail. It only took one day and then eventually, little by little, I got too tired to wake up early to read my Bible. I got too busy to worship God on my way to work and even when I arrived there. All I wanted to do, because I felt I had to, was work and deliver on every task. Little by little, little by little, little..by..little. I began to slip away. Church activities became a difficult task. Rehearsals? 😂 what is that? I was basically unavailable for everything. I felt myself slipping away from my Jesus and I felt His heart break every minute I put something else over Him. I felt myself backsliding and beginning not to care if I even missed something. At some point I didn’t even feel bad for missing time with God. At some point it didn’t feel like I was out of time and so I had to sacrifice it- at some point I simply didn’t do it. Talk about becoming Johnny; the guy i used to sing passionately about, the guy in the song that taught us to remember God in every circumstance, and not only in times of need. How did I let it get to this point where I had to pray to God to give me the desire to want to be with Him again? Little by little. I prayed for the blessing and then I let the blessing become a curse because I removed the source of the blessing, slowly, but surely. I removed Jesus, and that is the biggest set up for hell.
My biggest take aways from this experience:
1. It is so much more difficult to get back to where you used to be with God, than it is to stay in that place.
2. Consistency is important to both sides (heaven and hell) in spiritual matters. With God, consistency gets you deeper and deeper in Him. The devil on the other hand cannot have this, so he attacks your consistency by making you slip once, twice, always. If he successfully wounds your consistency, perhaps you’ll never be able to get back into that place with God, and then it becomes easier for you to sin and make your way to hell. Then you will consistently do what displeases God.
3. Remember where you are coming from and where your life could have been- remember Jesus in everything.
4. When you take Jesus out, you replace him with something. If that something is not Jesus then you are an idol worshipper. Mine was work and the people I was trying to please through my actions.
I am not where I used to be with God yet, but with determination, consistency, and the Holy Spirit, I will be back there soon.
I am glad that God found a way to convict me, even as far gone as I was. I am glad that nothing can separate me from the love of God. I am so glad He still loves me.
Take a listen to ‘Johnny’ by Jermaine Edwards, and I pray that my vulnerability helps you to either get back to God, or makes you more alert to remain with Him.
Authored By Kay 
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