by Danielle N. Hall

11/19/2017

Do you have recollection of an experience where God asked you to do something that forfeited your comfort or that you thought may have been an inconvenience to you, yet a convenience to someone else? I can think of a time or two when I’ve had such an experience. Picture it…Bowie, MD…August 26th. It was a gorgeous Saturday…the weather was delightful: the high was 81 degrees and the low was 65 degrees! It was the perfect day to go to the hair salon and I certainly took advantage of it. The previous months had been taking their toll on me and the FoxZ Hair Studio experience is usually a breath of fresh air that I enjoy. While heading to pay a much needed visit to my hair stylist/friend, Zanada,…I thought “It would be really nice to see my friend (Michelle aka Min. Benn) today”. It was once common for Min. Benn and I to receive beauty services at the same time, but as of late, our paths had not crossed there. To my pleasant surprise, she was in the right place at the right time! Some people can have a calming presence about them and she happens to be one. SIDE NOTE: Your presence can either agitate or alleviate…it can illuminate or obfuscate. The point is: your presence can make a difference: please try to be mindful of the energy you emit.

So, as usual, we all enjoyed laughs at FoxZ Hair Studio and Min. Benn and I had lunch after getting our manes tended to. I knew I probably should have been in bed resting because I couldn’t even put my shoes up on the back of my feet due to swelling. Nevertheless, I maximized the moment of fresh air that was much needed. After we were done, I was set on getting home and propping my feet up. When I got to my car, I noticed that there were keys on the ground next to the car that was parked beside me. I picked them up and determined that they were for that car. I observed that the car windows were down. I did NOT feel comfortable with leaving the car in that state. The Lord led me to wait.

Based on where the car was parked in relation to the nearby stores, I was pretty sure I’d be probably waiting about 10 minutes for the owner to return. A little more than 10 minutes passed and I watched each of the store patrons leave, looking for them to walk in the direction of the car. Also of note, there was a Planet Fitness keychain attached to the keys. I tried to observe people who may have had a certain build or who may have been wearing a certain type of apparel. Time continued to pass and no one had yet appeared in search of the keys.

Finally, after having waited for an hour, I decided to go into the place where Min. Benn and I had lunch. I asked had anyone lost any car keys and no one answered affirmatively. When I exited the restaurant, I saw a AAA vehicle pull up near the car. I walked over to the driver of the AAA vehicle and asked them to contact the car owner to let him/her know that I have the keys and they were left on the ground. The driver obliged and a few minutes after, a young lady came walking from the other side of the shopping center. As she approached, I noticed her wearing a Pizza Hut uniform, which meant that she was at work and CERTAINLY wouldn’t have been coming out in the 10 minutes I had initially thought the car’s owner would return in. She was very grateful because she both had her keys and did not require the service of AAA. I don’t know her story or how losing the keys would’ve impacted her world, all I know is God said to wait and I did…in spite of my significantly swollen feet.

We often fill our schedules with things that keep us on the go and we don’t take the necessary moments to rest or to breathe. Perhaps that waiting period was just as beneficial to me as it was to the car owner. Though I did have a choice as to whether or not I should wait, I opted to go with the Lord’s leading and wait. I didn’t have anything to rush to afterwards, but it still allowed me a moment to just sit, observe my surroundings, and enjoy the stillness of the moment. Believe or not, there is a blessing in waiting. Some of us are impatient at times: when it comes to waiting on others or waiting on the manifestation of what God has promised to us. Patience is not the ability to wait, but it’s how we act while waiting…”but if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with patience and composure.” Romans 8:25 (AMP)

Below are some questions to ponder regarding when God says to wait. Take a moment to reflect and answer these. After doing so, consider your responses and determine if there is anything you can/would change about your response to God charge to you to wait.

1) What/who has God asked you to wait for?

2) Does/did it seem like an inconvenience to you?

3) “How” have you waited…have you done so with patience?

4) Has someone had to wait with patience for YOU?

5) If “yes” is your response to #4, how did that make you feel?