An Embarrassing Lesson in Patience

Image by FROET from Pixabay

Even with all my strategizing, there still seemed to be an endless amount of moving tasks. In the middle of it all, I had to make a trip to the grocery store and the gas station. I only had peanut butter and half a loaf of bread in the pantry and nothing in the way of substance in the refrigerator. I was even out of coffee creamer. The gas gauge hovered just under a quarter tank.

With my To Do List running through my mind, I pulled into the gas station and followed an orange Volkswagen to the pumps. Rather than pulling up to the forward, empty pump, which was the correct thing to do, the driver stopped at the last one . How rude. I would have to sit and wait behind her until she finished.

Not willing to wait while the pump in front of the Volkswagen was sat open, I pulled out around her and backed into the forward pump.

The attendant shook his head. “You have to go around and wait behind the Volkswagen.”

Not understanding why, I started to protest, but he reiterated that I had to go back. With all the other pumps full, I did as he said and sat tapping the steering wheel and fuming over the wasted time.  

To my further dismay, the attendant fiddled with the gas cap on the Volkswagen, unable to get it replaced. After several interminable minutes, the driver got out, and the two of them fussed some more.

I tossed all my meticulous plans out the window and turned on some music, resigned to be there a while.

Finally, the two had the cap positioned, and the woman climbed back into her car. Several more minutes passed before she pulled out.

My lesson came next.

When I pulled forward, I saw the sign on the forward pump. It was out of order.

As with so much else in life, we get into trouble when we run ahead of God’s plans, impatient with what seems like delayed answers. Then, we end up regretting our hastiness.

Dear Lord, help me to exercise more patience when my plans are disrupted, trusting Your timing rather than forcing mine. Amen.