Annoyance Is An Opportunity
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“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
Recently, I decided to reverse the usual route of my two-mile walk. Bored with walking down the hill to a traffic light, turning right and circling back, I turned at the first street instead. From the opposite direction, the yards looked different. A tree-fort that was well hidden from the direction I usually walked stood out now. I noticed swimming pools I’d never seen before.
It made me wonder how different my circumstances would appear if I looked at them from the other direction too. Instead of seeing the world through my human filters, I decided to make a concerted effort to see it through God’s perspective. God looks at us with His unconditional, loving eyes. He looks past our physical appearance. What if I were to view my annoyances through the eyes of God? Would they be molehills instead of mountains? Better yet, would they turn into anthills?
I decided to experiment for a day. When I drove to work, instead of grumbling about a driver who cut in front of me, I saw the person as a distracted sister in Christ. Was her mother terminally ill in a nursing home down the street? Perhaps her child lay in the hospital with an illness. I said a prayer for her, knowing God had her life in His hands.
At a store counter, a college-age youth gave me no smile, no sign he wanted to assist me despite the name tag that asked, “How can I help you today?” I wondered if he struggled with grades in school, had a load of homework and worked full time to financially help his single mother. I’ll never know, but God does. He knew the reasons the clerk’s attitude needed a lift. As I walked away, I prayed God would bring him relief from the challenges he faced.
Usually slow service at lunch irritates me. The one-day experiment made me look at the waiter through God’s eyes. He juggled many tables. Some customers growled at him for the slowness of the food. There was a wedding ring on his hand. He dealt with complaining customers and worked on his feet to provide for his family. I prayed that the kitchen would run smoother, make his job less stressful and then prayed for his family. Once again, God knew their needs and issues. I could only pray and tip enough to compensate for light tips from complainers at other tables.
God chose to place these individuals before me on my experimental day. Seeing each of them through His eyes not only made my day pleasant, it kept my focus on His kingdom rather than the little annoyances.
In Samuel 16:7 we see that God graciously looks at our hearts, not our outward appearance. I must do the same to keep in alignment with His commandments. Now, when I’m cut off in traffic or scowled at by a service person, I look beyond the outward appearance. Each day presents me with opportunities to show God’s grace. A one-day experiment changed me for a lifetime.
Questions: Who has God placed on your path this day that needs His grace? How does God see these people compared to our limited view?
15 Responses to “Annoyance Is An Opportunity”
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Tommy and Shelley, Sorry if I wasn’t clear about subscribing to my blog feed. If you’ll go to godgirlgail.wordpress.com and scroll down, on your right, you’ll find a place to Follow for all my latest. Thanks for your interest!
Hi Gail,
I think I’m failing at finding the subscribe option.
Several years ago when we were at my little brother-in-laws, the kids where being kids in the back of the car. Jimmy said to me that I must have prayed for patience sometime in the past, because God doesn’t give patience He gives opportunities to practice patience. I remember vividly when and where that I prayed for patience.
Isn’t it amazing what God will do for us when we ask him to open our eyes.
Love always
Gail. The delight of being aware of a new circumstance to witness GOD’S
infinite love … Having been under extreme stress from a horrible accident, and still recouperating, I learned from HIS loving grace to accept and turn HIS comfort into a different direction and take one day
at a time. I AM ALWAYS BLESSED BY YOUR LOVING CARING CONCERN FOR ME AND
MINE. IN CHRIST’S PRECIOUS NAME, I lOVE YOU SO, JOAN OLIVER
Corinne, I’m praying for you today! Sometimes it seems overwhelming but so thankful He is in control.
Thank you for all your comments. I’m always blessed with others share.
Hope you’ll join me at godgirlgail.wordpress.com
This was such a good reminder today. I tend to be very self-centered, thinking that I am the only one having a rough day, my problems are way worse than anyone else’s, blah blah blah. Looking at the moments in our day as you have described is a much more fulfilling way to live. Thanks for the nudge!
Oh boy Gail. Your post stabbed straight to my heart this morning. Annoyed by family issues, I was well on the way to a day of bad humor with my porcupine quills aimed and ready to shoot. Thank you for your words which God used as a rebuke to my wrong thinking and an adjustment of the lens I will look through today. May even frame this and hang it over my computer so I’ll remember it every morning.
DiAne
I am so glad this was mine today, I am so overwhelmed today! I have two tests next week that mean alot to me, I have kids that mean even more to me that create amazing messes, I have a dirty house that I want to be clean, I have so much stress on me right now and all I want is a break, that was my break. If I would just look at it from a different direction, think about the things God thinks matters the most and do it a little at a time, I am sure it will all work out and things will get done, Lord Help me to just breathe!
Wow, thank you I will be doing your experiment. It is so true we do not know what the people around us are going through. May God continue to bless through you.
GREAT REMINDER, ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHEN PEOPLE WITH CELL PHONES CRAMMED TO THEIR EARS HARDLY EVEN ACKNOWLDGE THE CLERKS WHO SERVE THEM – THANKS!!
Beautifully expressed. I’m on your list and thank you for including me.
I enjoyed reading this and know that it’s a lesson we all need to practice more.
SO true!! We never know what another person might be going through!! It is so easy to get annoyed because we’re thinking of ourselves! I want to try to look at situations and people through God’s eyes and show God’s grace.
This has inspired me to try my own experiment today.
Gail,
Great article! Now that I drive I-30 everyday, I’m going to pray for the drivers around me rather than complain. I know that God has placed me at CB so I can pray for my co-workers too. Thanks for sharing.
This message hit me right where I live. Too many time I look at others through a masters eyes, seeing only that they are not performing as I expect them to. Lord forgive me…Help me to see everyone as you see them, compassionately, as I am not the only one in the world that matters…Amen