I don’t know about you, but when something comes up that is out of my comfort zone, I don’t love it. Little inconveniences, like hangnails or running out of printer ink, are annoying, sure. But as adults, we have learned through this life how to maintain our emotions and just deal with those minor issues.
But what about the bigger inconveniences? The things that test our patience a little more?
I’m a single parent, and my parents help out quite often with my two girls. Now that my dad is retired, my parents take a lot more trips. Multiple trips a year, sometimes 2-3 weeks at a time. More fun for them causes more inconveniences for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy they get to do it! It just means that I have to single-parent it a little bit more when they are gone.
When Mary and Joseph had to make the 90-mile trip with Mary nine months pregnant, I can imagine they told themselves what I often say, “We’ll figure it out.” What else is there to do? You do what you have to.
Do you know what “figuring it out” means as a Christ follower? By putting my faith in Him, I get to see how God shows up and meets me right where I am. God uses people to come alongside and fill in the gap, picking up my daughters from school or taking the girls while I work. My inconveniences turn into an opportunity to see God take care of me.
Mary and Joseph had an innkeeper, shepherds, and a feeding trough play significant roles in their story of “figuring it out.” They were taken care of.
Another really neat side effect of these bigger inconveniences is that I get to see that I am capable. God has equipped me with what I need to manage the situation. I CAN figure it out. I CAN thrive in life while being a single mom. I CAN allow myself to put my guard down and allow others to pour into me. Because I NEED that.
So the next time you’re met with an inconvenience, minor or major, be intentional about seeing how God is taking care of you through it. As well as being on the lookout for how He has equipped you to deal with these moments of “figuring it out.”
Kim Freels
Digital Media Specialist