Philippians 4:6

“Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

NOTE:  This post is from a few months ago, from my Promise Book website, but thought it was worth sharing again!  God bless you!

Today as I was leaving my first patient‘s house to go on to the next, I had to sit for nearly ten minutes and wait just to get off of their street. They’ve been doing major road construction, so they’ve got it down to one lane going each way, and it’s a main road. I was in a hurry and it was hot, and none of us enjoy just sitting there in traffic, especially when we have to be somewhere on schedule. As my body heated up, so did my temper.

“Come on! My God!” Were some of the things I said, accompanied by a meaningless intensive, or two, which I had to repent for.

But then I heard a voice; that still small voice. The one that peeks its way out from beneath our own craziness. “Lyn, maybe you won’t get so angry over all of these small things if you begin to realize that I am in charge of everything, even down to the constant red lights, and every slow-moving car. Every car moving, and every car sitting still is exactly where it is at the exact moment it is because I AM. I have reasons for everything because in the beginning, I also made the end; I am the beginning, and I am the end of all things. I am all in all.”

I gulped, as God had just put my angry old self back in place. “Well, Lord, okay..that makes sense. So if you did it, then when I get all upset and worked up, filled with impatience and anxiety, I’m actually getting upset with you. Right?”

He was quick to answer, “That’s exactly right.”

I sighed. “Okay Lord, can I ask a question?”

No response, which I believed must’ve meant it was okay.

“Alright, Lord, what about the people who do things against us to make us mad–huh?” We can never outsmart God or trap Him up.

“What did I just say? Hmmm?” He answered.

I paused to remember exactly what He’d just said. “You said you are in charge of everything, you have reasons for everything because in the beginning, you also made the end; you said that you are the beginning and the end of all things–you are all in all.”

Silence.

I sheepishly continued, “So nothing happens without going through you first then, right? I mean, everything has its divine purpose; we may not understand, but even the seemingly silly unimportant stuff that aggravates us happens because you allow it. It is just meant to be because you’re in charge. Right?”

God answered in a way that I could almost picture Him patting me on the back. “That’s exactly right. So, before you get angry, frustrated, or anxious, remember that no matter what it is that’s going on in your life, or someone else’s life, it was meant to be or it wouldn’t be at all, because I AM ALL IN ALL.”

I smiled as what He told me was finally sinking in. “Okay Lord, I will remember this next time something happens. If it happens, You are in control, and if I allow myself to get all worked up or anxious, I am not abiding in You; rather, I’m abiding in my flesh.”

God is quick to allow us to be tested.

I saw my next patient when I discovered I could not find my cell phone. From her phone, I called every place I had been; still, no cell phone. I looked at my patient, Patsy, and said, “Well, hopefully, I left it at home to begin with.”

Nervous, worried, and anxious, I left her home when I was through..I was in a rush. I had to know if my phone was lost or not. Sure enough, I got every red light, was stuck in a traffic jam, had to wait for a woman to cross the street who moved at a snail’s pace, had to wait on a pregnant lady and her husband to cross another road, they also were slow. Got another traffic light, then was stuck behind the slowest driver ever….all of the way to my house. I was quickly becoming agitated when I heard that voice again.

“Ah ah ah, Lyn! What did I tell you earlier?” I could almost hear Him clear His throat.

“Oh, yeah..I’m sorry Lord. I forgot. It all happens for a reason. In this case, it happened just to see if I would remember what you said and utilize it. Right?”

No answer.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, I am sorry Lord because I have disappointed you. I repent.”

I must say, that once I remembered and put my focus back on the Lord, and what He had said to me earlier, it was easier not to get so upset. When I made it home, there was my phone, sitting right here next to the computer where I had left it. So, what did all of my worry, my hurry, and my anxiety profit me? Absolutely nothing. Just goes to show you, everything that happens ‘happens’ for a reason.

Who knows, maybe that slow-moving car is keeping you from the traffic accident that’s going to happen on a different road you’ll be traveling, and the fact you were slowed down made you miss it. Maybe that last-minute customer who prevented you from leaving work on time and made you so late, the bank closed before you could get there, saved you from the robbery that took place where five people were shot. We never know why; maybe God is looking after someone else who’s also stuck in the traffic. We may never know, because, after all, who can know the mind of God? No one! All we do know for certain is that God is ALL IN ALL!

Categories: DEVOTIONS