Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

While I have always loved "The Motions", the meaning of this song in this season of life has been much deeper to me than it had been previously.

When I was starting the year (2024) with a 21-day period of fasting, I experienced "The Motions" and "Burn the Ships" playing randomly back-to-back twice in a row in a span of 30 minutes, first on YouTube and then on Spotify. Mathematically, the odds of something like that happening are very, very low [trust me, I'm a math guy].

I could not get the first verse of "The Motions" out of my mind; it pierced my soul to the core:

"This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break
At least I'll be feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life"

Because of this repeated message and other events that I could not explain through ordinary logic, I felt that God was speaking to me that it was time to stop going through the motions, that my corporate role and my status had become idols that were getting in the way of what God had planned for me, and that it was time to walk away from my job, even though I did not know what was coming next.

It might hurt; it's not safe, but I knew that I had to make a change.

No longer would I settle for lukewarm; I needed to live each day more fully in alignment with God.

I would rather take a risk and follow God than have the regret of not pursuing His will for me.

I didn't want to wonder "what if I had given everything?".

I needed to have a burning passion for God inside of me, instead of the emptiness of the day-to-day.

Yes, it was time to do what the second song in the sequence was suggesting:
"Burn the ships, cut the ties
Send a flare into the night
Say a prayer, turn the tide
Dry your tears and wave goodbye"

I don't know how this story will ultimately turn out, but so far, God has blessed me beyond what I could have asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20).

I have no fear because I know that God is with me.