It was kind of a pathetic scene. I was hurrying to get home a few days ago. I had only one stop left. That stop, however, had taken more time than I wanted. But thankfully I was now finished and I could go home.
I walked out to the parking lot to discover an amazing scene. Though I was parked in an "official" parking space, my car was completely surrounded by other cars. There was a car not more than a few inches from my front bumper, a car just as close in the back, and several more cars on each side. I could barely walk to my car - much less find a way to drive it out of this finely crafted trap.
Now, I realize that some of you are already thinking of solutions to my dilemma. In all fairness, however, I didn't have quick access to a forklift or a bulldozer. I squeezed into the front seat and began to contemplate my sad situation. This particular parking lot was close to a number of businesses; there was simply no way to figure out where the various car owners might be. I began working through a number of different scenarios, trying to figure out how long people might be. Were they perhaps seeing a movie? That would mean about a two-hour wait. Were they perhaps making a quick purchase in a shop? That could mean a fairly brief wait. Were they enjoying a meal? That might mean an hour. Or most sobering of all, were they doubling up with a meal and a movie?
Yes, I thought about calling the police, but I decided against that. And, yes, I also wondered how long I could survive if I simply sat in the car on this bitterly cold day.
Seething is not really in my nature, so I didn't seethe. But I did stew for a while. I pouted a little. I vented (in the privacy of my car) about the pathetic situation I was in.
But then something interesting happened.
I felt a calm settle in. Maybe it was the simple (and rather obvious) observation that all I could do was wait. I realized that I could do nothing to make anything happen any faster. So I decided to wait . . . calmly, peacefully, quietly, even patiently.
Yes, it was a forced patience, but it was patience nonetheless. The choice to be patient didn't make anything happen any faster - but it sure changed my attitude while I was waiting.
An owner of one of the cars showed up in about thirty-five minutes. I resisted the urge to get out and say something. Once he drove away, I took my turn. Had this been an emergency, I might have been more upset. But it wasn't an emergency. And that half-hour of quiet in the middle of a hectic day was probably exactly what I needed.
I suppose if I were wise, I would quietly sit in my car from time to time just to slow down. But I'm not that wise. So God will likely need to force some patience on me every once in a while.
Patience is good for me . . . no matter how I get it.
Yes, I thought about calling the police, but I decided against that. And, yes, I also wondered how long I could survive if I simply sat in the car on this bitterly cold day.
Seething is not really in my nature, so I didn't seethe. But I did stew for a while. I pouted a little. I vented (in the privacy of my car) about the pathetic situation I was in.
But then something interesting happened.
I felt a calm settle in. Maybe it was the simple (and rather obvious) observation that all I could do was wait. I realized that I could do nothing to make anything happen any faster. So I decided to wait . . . calmly, peacefully, quietly, even patiently.
Yes, it was a forced patience, but it was patience nonetheless. The choice to be patient didn't make anything happen any faster - but it sure changed my attitude while I was waiting.
An owner of one of the cars showed up in about thirty-five minutes. I resisted the urge to get out and say something. Once he drove away, I took my turn. Had this been an emergency, I might have been more upset. But it wasn't an emergency. And that half-hour of quiet in the middle of a hectic day was probably exactly what I needed.
I suppose if I were wise, I would quietly sit in my car from time to time just to slow down. But I'm not that wise. So God will likely need to force some patience on me every once in a while.
Patience is good for me . . . no matter how I get it.