As I write I am in the midst of a home maintenance situation that has me seeking gracious words, instead of self-pitying ones, along with clear thinking and creative action. And patience. And humility – always a lesson to be learned, a sinful attitude to acknowledge and repent of.
So yesterday I was telling myself, This is not a long-term game-changer, Colleen. It’s just awkward and inconvenient, even if it is ongoing and ugly, and well, just plain yucky. Then I realized all the vowels were there in my pitiful list: A E I O U and sometimes Y. Awkward, Inconvenient, Ongoing, Ugly, and Yucky.
Most of the vowels. The E was missing. Expensive? Maybe, to be determined upon return to normal, hopefully within a few days. Elegant? Nope. Energy-draining? Yup, but is that gracious or selfish? Elementary? Nope, experts are on the job.
Experts? Yes, maybe that’s the E word. I need expert help in so many parts of my everyday walking around life. Car maintenance. Most house infrastructure things. All the healthcare and insurance things. Some of the relational things. Why the pudding has to come to a boil for so many minutes. I rely on people with education, training, and experience to help me.
The Lord brought me back to these verses in the past few days. Each holds the perspective from which I want to walk the journey the Lord has for me …
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11.14
… in abundance of counselors there is victory. Proverbs 24.6
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18
I am humbled with these precious words. And rewriting my self-talk … This is not a long-term game-changer, Colleen. Yes, it’s awkward and inconvenient, but you have experts helping you. Your role here is to exercise patience and entreat the Lord to forgive you your self-pitying pride and impatience. There is safety and victory when I seek wise counsel. And in ALL things, my responsibility is to keep praying and seeing all the reasons to be thankful to the Lord!
Like when the electricity is restored after an outage, I am thanking the Lord for the modern conveniences His science has allowed in my lifetime and so grateful that they work 99% of the time without me thinking about them much at all. … give thanks in all circumstances!
I encourage you to consider what is niggling at the back of your mind that is a consistent irritation or a current significant inconvenience that you can lay at the foot of Jesus’ cross today … and not pick up again tomorrow! With an attitude of graciousness everything becomes a little more simple and much more appreciated.
Trusting the Lord with you, Colleen
As this message comes to you, we are mid-week with our VBS! It has been high-spirited and engaging. Thank you for your prayers that this will be an unforgettable week for the children and the team as the Lord works amongst us for His glory!