Let God Upgrade You
- Dericka Canada Cunningham
- Oct 19
- 5 min read
Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
October 20, 2025
This Week's Anchor
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
If you are reading the title of this week’s devotion with the tune of Beyoncé’s 2006 hit coming to mind, you, my friend, are in good company. If you are among the hive of fans, like me, then you might’ve had the opportunity to experience her highly anticipated Cowboy Carter Tour this year. It’s common for me to recall the joys of summertime as Fall rushes in, and as I reflect on this past summer, an inspirational Beyoncé concert experience comes to mind…
As a millennial, I’ve rocked with Beyoncé since Destiny’s Child, and in recent years, a close friend and I have made it our mission to attend her solo concerts together. As working moms who live cities and states apart, you can imagine it is a feat to organize schedules and travel together. Nevertheless, we are committed to prioritizing this sacred time together to laugh, reminisce, and simply have a good time. For the previous tour, my friend traveled to Boston, so this round, I returned the trip and traveled closer to her, converging in the DMV to attend this summer concert. If you’ve ever traveled to the DC-Maryland area in July, you are likely aware of the degree of heat and humidity that fills the air. As a Bostonian, I can assure you that I was not prepared. When I arrived in DC and realized how oppressive the heat truly was, I became concerned about the outdoor concert planned in the days ahead, especially as girlies who are no longer ‘spring chickens’ and whose bodies are not as resilient as they once were.
The tickets we purchased were on the more affordable end, as we both realistically budgeted what we desired to spend, so as the day of the concert arrived, our expectations were adjusted entering the entire experience. As we forged our way through traffic, we arrived at the stadium, trekked through the heat, parking lot, and crowds, and made our way into the concert area. At this point, I’m sweating in more places than I’d ever desired, and as someone who can overheat easily, I’m thinking of all the things I must do to prevent a health crisis. I say a silent prayer to God that I somehow remain cool and hydrated through the rest of the evening, and as we follow the signs to our seating, we notice the escalator to our level has a sign that reads “Club Level Only”. We glanced at each other, thinking this must be a mistake. Neither one of us expected our tickets to give us access to much, but with another look at our tickets, we clarified that we were, in fact, headed in the right direction.
We finally climbed the escalator to the second floor, and to our surprise, we had access to…an air-conditioned lounge. Words cannot express the relief that melted through my body. As we waited for the concert to begin in the comfort of the cool air, I couldn’t help but thank God for His provision. It might seem silly to thank God for A/C at a Beyoncé concert, but over the years, I’ve learned to be grateful to and for God in all things. I acknowledge the privilege in this experience, as there are certainly others who have far less and need God for far more. Yet, knowing this made me all the more moved by God’s care for my trivial concerns. As worried as I was about navigating the heat, God somehow went before my friend and me and prepared a table without us even knowing. And those ‘affordable’ tickets that we thought weren’t worth much ended up giving us access to not only more than we expected, but to exactly what we needed.
Although this experience represented simple summertime fun with a dear friend, as I wrapped up the weekend and traveled back to Boston, I couldn’t help but think about how this moment served as a meaningful metaphor for how God operates in our lives overall. As the devotion title implies, Beyoncé herself has sung about the influence of this kind of upgrade. However, while she and my concert experience speak to the thrill of material advancement, as our anchor scripture encourages, we know that Divine elevation lies in the power of the Holy Trinity, and the Provision God has over our lives goes well beyond the material to meaningfully abundant blessings “in all things at all times”.
How many times have we witnessed God’s unexplainable relief and peace amid moments of discomfort and overwhelm? How many times do we show up to places or spaces with low expectations and God blows our minds? How many times are we in situations that seem dire, all the while God is elevating and upgrading us beyond our awareness or imagination? In fact, it’s often amid life’s challenges and transitions that God’s providence is most apparent. Whether between jobs, relationships, cities, roles, schools, programs, degree levels, health conditions, financial statuses, or other life seasons, God’s ability to work behind the scenes and provide for us in ways that we didn’t ask for or even knew we needed will always be the biggest (and most Divine) flex.
If there were ever a time when we needed a message of God’s provision most, that time is certainly now. Our hope is built on collective and ancestral memories and stories of God’s purposeful redemption, reminding us that moments that feel like a setback are not only preparing us for a comeback but for something better than what we had before. As we enter another week, I pray that we each discover moments of God’s provision, both big and small; silly and sincere. May God’s Divine oversight relieve, restore, and elevate us beyond measure.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
How has God’s provision impacted your life thus far?
What are areas of your life you are seeking God’s provision in now?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Tuesday: 1 Kings 17:13-16
Wednesday: Psalm 37:1-10
Thursday: Jeremiah 17:7-8
Friday: Matthew 6:33-34
Saturday: Luke 12:6-7
Sunday: Philippians 4:4-7
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“May you receive the wisdom, strength, and courage to overcome
the barriers blocking your divine purpose.”
Dr. Thema Bryant