I was stuck in a long line at the
grocery store –always an unpleasant inconvenience. Everything was moving along
at a snail’s pace because the market was grossly under-staffed, and customers
were getting agitated.
I stood there quietly, shifting my weight from foot to foot, consciously deciding to wait with a good attitude. I figured, whether I liked it or not, there was nothing I could do to change the drawn out process.
One woman standing directly in front of me, however, was not faring quite so well. She only had about 3-4 items in her hands. I could tell the delay was working her last good nerve. She was seething.
“Come on!” the tall, petite woman yelled out and then began verbally assaulting the cashier. She demanded that the line speed up, because she had somewhere to be, like yesterday!
In all my years of grocery shopping, I have never seen the bullying method effectively speed up a slow line, have you? It never quite pans out. Nevertheless, despite its nonexistent track record of success, people attempt it all the time.
This woman then set her sights on rallying passive troops like me and recruiting us into her let’s-act-up-in-this-grocery-store army.
She kept looking around at others, saying things like: This is ridiculous, ain't it? Can you believe this? They got 10 registers up in here and 2 cashiers! What is the problem?
Though I understood her aggravation and felt it too, I knew flying off the handle wouldn’t do any good. Also, I used to work in retail and it was always difficult when an inconsolable customer chose to berate me for circumstances beyond my control.
So I smiled silently.
What she did next surprised me.
"You know what?” she said loudly to no one in particular. “I should just stop trippin' and wait... me actin' crazy ain’t gone help nothin’."
Internally, without uttering a single word, I celebrated her breakthrough. After all, she was next in line. But then, something happened and things took a turn for the worst. The woman in front of her needed a price check on her item, which usually tacks on about 5-10 minutes to a customer’s wait time.
Let's just say that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Next thing I heard was a litany of swear words coming from the irate woman’s mouth in surround sound.
"I hate this stupid store!" she shouted before slamming her food items onto the floor and shortly thereafter, storming out cussing and fussing.
It was truly a sight to behold.
A minute later, the woman in front of me, who only had a few items also, said “never mind” about the price check, and was all cashed out within 3 minutes.
Had the impatient woman kept her cool, moments later, she would have gotten what she wanted. Unfortunately, she stood there all that time, only to walk away right before everything worked out.
The moral of the story is, don’t lose your composure and jump ship.
Often, things get hardest right when they are about to turn around. No matter how rough the road, don’t get frustrated and forfeit a blessing because you refuse to wait.
Don’t be discouraged. Don't be impatient. Just stay in line. God will reward you for your faithfulness.
To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring one of my favorite encouraging verses into your cup of inspiration found in Galatians 6:9 NIV. It says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
When you drink down the contents of your cup today, instead of focusing on the aggravation and vexation that sometimes comes along with waiting, declare, by faith, “I’m next!”
Determine in your heart that you will plant your feet, believe God for your breakthrough, and anticipate the overflow that is about to happen in your life.
This situation will not break you! You are next in line for a breakthrough.
Now let’s pray.
God, I come against frustration, worry, and impatience as I wait on You for breakthrough. I pray that You will help me not to focus not on the length of the wait, but on the promises reserved for those who wait on You Lord. I believe I am next in line for an outpour and overflow according to my faith and Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with You. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
