It never fails. I always pick the wrong line. I get behind the person whose item is missing a price sticker, or their debit card is declined, or the cashier needs a manager to ring in a coupon, or one of the eggs is broken and we have to wait for a stock boy to answer the page and get another carton. Or maybe it’s lunchtime and my cashier needs to count the drawer and cash out. The reasons are different every time, but the end result is the same: I wait there, fuming, as long as I can stand it, watching others fly by me out of the store, and finally I hop over to the other lane. Without fail, the moment after I do so, the problems are resolved. From that point on, the first line moves quickly and everyone sails smoothly through, while I stand at the back of the other line, which now has problems of its own. Then I kick myself for my lack of patience.
Sometimes I find myself giving up to soon in my spiritual life, too. A few months ago, we thought our house was going to sell. It had been on the market for almost two years, and we had an offer. I was sure God had answered my prayers. But then we went to our lowest number, and the buyer was at her highest number, and there was still a big gap in the middle. I was crushed. I couldn’t believe God hadn’t come through for me. I’d been faithful and patient. I’d trusted Him, and believed in His timing. I was devastated when I found out it wasn’t going to happen. I had believed so strongly that He had answered, that there was an end in sight, and then — nada. I was crushed, angry, and depressed.
Turns out, several days later, through a bunch of crazy circumstances, the house deal went through after all. I looked at circumstances and thought God had said no. He didn’t. It just didn’t happen the way I pictured it—in effect, I switched lines too soon. My impatience caused me to lose faith. I failed to remember that God’s ways are above our ways. He sees things we can’t even begin to imagine and achieves results we can’t fathom. So next time I’m about to cut my losses and jump on over to the next thing, I need to remember. No matter how impossible a situation seems, until God clearly tells us no, we need to keep the faith. We need to wait with expectation for the craziest, most innovative, unusual answers. Because if we can stay in the right place, the most amazing things will be waiting when we get to the front of the line.
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
You just never know
As a graphic designer, it is my job to develop marketing solutions that will meet a client’s needs. It’s more than simply communicating a message; it’s doing so in an innovative, unique, creative way. This week I got to be on the receiving end of the ultimate in creative thinking: one of God’s brainstorms. His ways are always above our ways.
Almost a year ago, I wrote a letter of complaint to a contractor that had worked on our house. We’d had problems with one of the employees, and our bill was much higher than the estimate. I wanted him to know the problems so he could correct them for future customers. I didn’t hear back from him, and except for feeling awkward when I’d seen him, I hadn’t thought much about it.
Earlier this week my main client filed bankruptcy, and I found out that the already-overdue checks for two months’ work were not on their way as I’d been told. Naturally I prayed. The next day, we had our ladies’ prayer group. And we also prayed, of course. For many things, but in particular, for my finances. The very next day, my mailman delivered an envelope from the contractor. Included with a letter explaining and apologizing for the situation was a check. A nice check. He had felt “the conviction of the Holy Spirit many times regarding this,” he wrote, and he wanted to make things right. He apologized repeatedly for taking so long to address the situation.
But here’s what that man did not know. He didn’t know that the money wasn’t important to us last year. We wouldn’t still have it. But now, today – THAT was the moment it was needed. The week in which I’d wondered where in the world I could find some extra money. The week in which I’d gone over and over my books, looking for any possibility of more income. The week in which I needed God to show me a solution that could only be from Him. The week in which I needed to be reminded that I can trust Him to provide.
This money – I didn’t make it happen. I didn’t find it. I didn’t expect it nor did I even know it was a possibility. But He already had an answer on its way to me before I asked. I had to laugh at our Lord’s ingenuity. And give thanks for the man who, by listening to the Holy Spirit, was part of this wonderful, unexpected solution. The kind of brilliant answer you wish you could claim as your own. Creativity at its best.
Almost a year ago, I wrote a letter of complaint to a contractor that had worked on our house. We’d had problems with one of the employees, and our bill was much higher than the estimate. I wanted him to know the problems so he could correct them for future customers. I didn’t hear back from him, and except for feeling awkward when I’d seen him, I hadn’t thought much about it.
Earlier this week my main client filed bankruptcy, and I found out that the already-overdue checks for two months’ work were not on their way as I’d been told. Naturally I prayed. The next day, we had our ladies’ prayer group. And we also prayed, of course. For many things, but in particular, for my finances. The very next day, my mailman delivered an envelope from the contractor. Included with a letter explaining and apologizing for the situation was a check. A nice check. He had felt “the conviction of the Holy Spirit many times regarding this,” he wrote, and he wanted to make things right. He apologized repeatedly for taking so long to address the situation.
But here’s what that man did not know. He didn’t know that the money wasn’t important to us last year. We wouldn’t still have it. But now, today – THAT was the moment it was needed. The week in which I’d wondered where in the world I could find some extra money. The week in which I’d gone over and over my books, looking for any possibility of more income. The week in which I needed God to show me a solution that could only be from Him. The week in which I needed to be reminded that I can trust Him to provide.
This money – I didn’t make it happen. I didn’t find it. I didn’t expect it nor did I even know it was a possibility. But He already had an answer on its way to me before I asked. I had to laugh at our Lord’s ingenuity. And give thanks for the man who, by listening to the Holy Spirit, was part of this wonderful, unexpected solution. The kind of brilliant answer you wish you could claim as your own. Creativity at its best.
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