Blessed Inconveniences
My tables got delivered damaged. With excitement, I waited and waited for my new kitchen table and my new dining room table to be delivered. I’ve never had a formal dining room so, I was like a kid getting their first bike on delivery day.
As the table was placed in my empty dining room space my excitement was diminished almost immediately.
“Honey, it looks like the table is bowed.”
My fix-it husband went to his garage and pulled out a gadget to check the table. His level showed that the table was indeed bowed. Can you hear the sad trombone sound? Then, I noticed not one, but two, chips in the kitchen dinette set.
Excitement turned to frustration.
In the midst of getting this handled, some of my peace, joy, and happiness has been lost.
But then, this morning I was reading a book by Elisabeth Elliot.
She tells a story about an airplane flight with her husband Lars. This was before all the security measures were in place. They had an hour layover and her husband inquired about the flight as she relaxed and read a book. Lars checked to see if he could get them better seats. The flight was only half full and he was told they could sit wherever they wanted.
Upon boarding they noticed the flight was full and not only that, but there were two other people in their seats. When the flight attendant checked tickets they all had the same seats and new seats were found for Elisabeth and Lars. Other passengers moved so they could have seats together.
Before the flight took off the pilot came on with an announcement letting the passengers know when they’d be arriving in Spokane. But they were going to Boston. Jumping up they asked to be let off the plane. Their request was granted even though it delayed the plane taking off by fifteen minutes.
Once off the wrong flight, the flight they were supposed to be on had already left at 6:55 p.m. Lars told Elisabeth there was another flight at 8:55 p.m. but with no dinner. She wondered how he knew that but didn’t question it, and they found some fast food for dinner.
Strolling back to their gate after dinner Elisabeth checked the monitor and the flight to Boston was marked 8:25 p.m. DEPARTED. She looked for the 8:55 p.m. flight, but it wasn’t there. She then said she thought of a few nasty remarks she could say to her husband but decided against it. They looked at each other and laughed. There was no other flight until the next morning and they had to get a hotel room for the night.
As her husband was finding a hotel, she prayed and asked God what His purpose was in all this. She was reminded of a prayer she knew, “Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by You.” She goes on to say that all inconveniences are blessed inconveniences and when we are open to whatever God has for us, we can trust in His purpose and His sovereignty. Ending with, peace is when we leave it all with Him, asking Him to do anything He wants, anywhere, anytime, that God may be gloried. Can you hear the Hallelujah chorus?
Back to my tables…
I can allow this blessed inconvenience to take away my peace, joy, and happiness or I can look for the lesson in it. Which I really don’t want to do but considering the alternative I think it’s a good idea, don’t you?
My we look to God for our everything knowing He is working for our good.
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
-Colossians 1:16-17
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