Vol. 21 No. 49 | December 9, 2019
I pulled my car in the garage and started unloading my stuff. I put my computer bag over my shoulder and reached for my water bottle and hot latte I’d just purchased. Then, I saw an empty plastic bottle and some papers that needed to be recycled, so I sat my hot latte on the top of the car like I have done several times. Except for this time, I’d forgotten that I’d opened the sunroof.
Yep, you guessed it…
Not the whole cup- somehow the lid stayed on and only a little splattered across the seats, the steering wheel, the dash, and the console.
I cleaned up the mess as best as I could, muttering something to the effect of I wish that hadn’t happened (in words I will refrain from sharing here).
Why am I telling you this?
Because it made think about how much we depend on things and people to be where we expect them to be and do what we expect them to do.
For example, when I’m in my car and a hot latte is not raining down on me, I depend on the features to do what they are designed to do- when I put my foot on the brake pedal, the car will slow down; when I turn my blinker on, other drivers will know that I’m going to turn (In case some of you were wondering, that’s what it’s for… Yeah, I’ve driven behind you). And yes, when I open the sunroof, I expect it to stay open until I close it.
In my relationships, when I have become accustomed to people being there, I expect them to be there and behave as they always do- when I really need to talk, I trust they will listen; when I need their advice, I trust they will give it, etc.
I think it’s natural to get frustrated or disappointed sometimes when things don’t work or people act differently than we expect them to. We rely on the predictability of things to maintain some sort of sanity, and it throws us off when things change without our knowledge or permission.
But what if this is how I approach my relationship with God?
The truth is, we can’t predict how God will respond. And He may not always answer us when we’d prefer. That can be frustrating and confusing.
But I know, without fail, He will always hear my prayers, and He will always answer. I know He is there, and I know He will never leave me. When He came to earth, He promised to be “with us” (Matthew 1:23) and “never leave us.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Maybe I can extend similar mercy to my family and friends and give them the benefit of the doubt. They will not always respond the way I want, but I know they want what is best for me. Maybe I can lower my demands and try to accept the fact that they are imperfect just like me, and they will sometimes miss the opportunity to help and come up short of my expectations.
Because I know they love me. I know they will do anything within their power to do what is best for me. And when they don’t, I can move beyond my frustration and disappointment and be thankful that they love me and tried.
And who knows, maybe I can give myself some grace over a spilled latte.
______________________________
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2019 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved