I was kind of excited today because I needed to get up early and had only 1 client this morning and then I had about a 4 hour break where I planned to do a few things. Exercise, run errands, putter around, relax, plan supper – you know… stuff I wanted to do.
Enter going out to my work car and finding an almost flat tire. (I had filled this tire up yesterday assuming maybe slow leak or weather change) Well today it was obviously leaking at a pretty high rate to have lost 20lbs in 1 day.
I filled it up and went to get my client then stopped at the dealership where I get the services done to see if they had time to look at my tire. Initially “no” but I was about to walk out when a tech came up to inform that the first appt of his day had gone really fast and he was done. Lucky me!
I went to the waiting room to chill but to be honest I was a bit put out. I was thinking to myself. “I finally had a day when I don’t have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off and I am stuck here because of a flat. Why God? Do you not want me to fill my tank? Do you begrudge me time for just getting my own things done? “
Enter a somewhat bitter spirit.
Discovery was made that my tire could not be fixed and I will need to get a whole new set of tires because you can’t put on 1 new one with 3 much older ones.
This was actually a good thing because my tires on the work car were not in the greatest shape and I was kind of dreading going through the winter with them on.
As I was chatting with the technician about my options and hearing that I don’t have a spare and the tires will need to be ordered so I can go home for now.
I started to become a bit more grateful.
It was not my plan for this day but was this God’s blessing even though I miss out on some of my much horded “me” time?
Was this God’s not so subtle reminder that my time is His and He has more than enough gas in His tank to fill mine? He’s got me covered – Even down to allowing my tire to start losing air on a day that I had a few hours free in the morning to take care of this? I didn’t happen with a client in the car or on a day that I was back-to-back crazy busy all day long so I would have had to cancel a bunch of people
This problem happened on a day that I had time to take care of it. I didn’t want to…I wanted to use my time differently. Enter frustration/bitterness. Exit grateful spirit and peace of God.
How do you deal with the struggle when your day doesn’t go down the way you wanted to? When someone or something throws a monkey wrench in your day? When someone or something in your family has a need greater than yours and your needs or plan get set aside for the good of someone else? When someone gets under your skin?
Jesus was forever taking time out of His day to chat with his disciples when they were struggling even with the dumbest stuff. (like who gets to sit at his right and left…really?)
I have never felt judged by God for bringing things to Him that are probably not that important in His grand scheme of things.
Also, in this case, the tire was obviously very unsafe, so he provided a way for me to get my need straight to the top of the list and taken care of quickly with my safety as His top priority… and my first impulse is to complain.
Time to turn it around. Its ok if we are disappointed but how quickly can I say “Thank you” for providing for me and taking care of me when I didn’t even know the problem was as bad as it was.
I thought my self-care was more important – God also thought my “SELF-CARE” was important! He didn’t want me on the road with that tire!! HE took care of me and the situation and actually lined things up so smoothly that I was back home only about 30 min later than I had planned to be. What a deal!
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
Those who take refuge in Him. If I had needed to spend the morning in the waiting room of the dealership, do you think He could have given me rest, filled my tank and a sense of peace that I was so desperately wanting? Is the only place I could have gotten that at home and with the schedule that I had planned?
Can God give you what you need anywhere you are? He can… if you let Him 😊