Okay, I like to think I am a reasonably sane person, but there are some things that drive me crazy. Warning … rant coming.
My car is like me, and it has a little age on it. Not long after I bought it, a little orange light started flashing on the dashboard near the gas light. Supposedly it was telling me that one of my tires had low pressure. All the tires including the spare were checked, no leaks. Then, supposedly the answer was a defective sensor. I took it to the shop and waited 3 1/2 hours for it to be repaired. Within a few miles of the shop, the light started flashing again. The answer now is to pay hundreds of dollars to have all 5 tire sensors replaced, or “live” with it. Well, I am trying to live with it.
As I said, it is right beside my gas light and it is orange. I have become numb to the light, and therefore I don’t see the orange gas light either. I ran completely out of gas one time because of it, and have had near misses more times than I can count since then. Argh, little things …
Well, now my gently aged car has decided to torment me more. It squeaks when it backs up. Not just a mousy little squeak that you can’t hear over the radio. No, this is a mega squeak that is like a nail on a chalk board that causes people to turn and stare. It bothered me so much that I was actually looking forward to the new tires and brakes that I got last week, even though they cost a fortune.
When my husband went to pick up the SUV, the mechanic told him that it was driving them crazy because they could not get rid of that squeak. Driving them crazy? They have no idea. I have been “living” with it. The answer … that’s just what Lexuses do. You will have to “live” with it. REALLY?!? Don’t get me wrong. I am so thankful to have the great car that I have, but these little things really get on my nerves. I am reminded of them over and over day after day. Argh, little things …
We sometimes endure the big disappointments, the large frustrations, the occasional major setbacks and losses better than we deal with the small nagging, every day, ongoing irritations. At least, that has been true for me over the years. Life throws so much at us each and every day that there can be a constant undercurrent of frustration in our lives. We endure the big stuff, but sometimes it is the little stuff that drives us over the edge. When we make every little thing a big deal, our lives can turn into one big drama.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says, But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
In other words, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” God has got it! He sometimes uses those annoying little things in our lives to slow us down, to give us opportunity to serve Him, to strengthen us, to show us how to be grateful, and how to trust Him more. It is because He loves us too much to not constantly work in our lives to make us better, to make us more like Christ.
Paul had a thorn in the flesh to teach Him humility. Why should I be any different? (Not that I am at all comparing my squeaking car to what Paul went through, but you get the idea.)
I know I am a work in progress. I am definitely a recovering perfectionist. Those who know me best, know that I have come a long way with my recovery, but I still have a distance to go.
For the last year, we have been studying the fruits of the spirit. The one that I have needed the most help with is patience. I have heard not to pray for it, or you will be given opportunities to practice it.
As author Lauren Gaskill says, I don’t want to be a woman whose life is marked by hurry, chaos, and disorder. I want to be a woman whose heart is at peace. Patience is found when we learn to surrender our time to whatever God has for us.”
Today, I guess He wants me to spend my time getting a battery for this car. Argh, little things …
Thank you, Lord, for never giving up on me. I know patience is a fruit that only You can grow in my life. Help us to never want anything as much as we want Your will for our lives. Help us to find the peace that only comes by realizing that You are in complete control, and that we can abide the most joyfully in your provision and grace. Amen
Is some little thing annoying you? Or has God brought you to a place where you just roll with whatever happens? How do you handle the little things? Please share your experiences, comments, and thoughts.
Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May God bless you today and always, as He grows your patience for the little things.