It began wrong. It was one of those days some women and very few men may understand…what will I wear? No, not that, it might rain…oh, bother! That won’t work either, didn’t they say it could reach 40 degrees today?
And so it went on for half hour. I’d already wasted time trying to change an appointment but that hadn’t worked either. Despite the early hour, the heat of the day wearied me, as I hurried to the bus which, you may have guessed, I’d now missed.
I raced to my appointment…forget that morning coffee… getting there just in time. An hour in the dentist chair did nothing to improve my frazzled emotions. Oh well, I still had a lunch date with a friend to look forward to. I sank into a chair in my favourite café to wait for her. Taking out my phone, I noticed a missed call. A message had come in…she couldn’t make it…
Perhaps I should ’ve stayed in bed I wondered as the bus bumped and shuddered its way home. For the rest of the day I continued feeling sorry for myself, telling the story of my day to anyone who’d listen.
Late that evening I sat up in bed checking my emails. An email had come in from a couple working with persecuted, minority groups in China. An urgent prayer request had come through…please pray for our isolated brothers and sisters, it read, many are currently suffering severe persecution.
I could read no further…I didn’t need to read any further…that was all it took to shake me out of my misery.
My day of trivial frustrations simply melted away as I confessed my selfish perspective and cried and prayed for these dear brothers and sisters who risk all and often lose all to follow Christ.
Father God, may I lose myself in you and be faithful in praying for and upholding these brothers and sisters who are suffering so deeply!