Life’s Pop Quizzes

“Start off your day asking God to be in control of your day – to guide and direct what you do and what you say. Then end your day asking God ‘how did I do’?” 

This was the advice my husband gave our church two Sundays ago.  I don’t know if anyone else took this to heart.  But I sure have. 

And not surprisingly some days have been better than others.  But I have noticed a theme and I am pretty sure it’s an area where God wants to do a little refining in me.

I’m impatient with incompetence.

So of course God has given me a few pop quizzes in this area in the last couple of days.  If I had to guess, my grades would read as follows:

D

A-

B-

Which leaves me plenty of room for improvement.

The D grade was earned at dinner last week when our server got the order wrong, then delivered our food after the people who ordered right before us had not only received their meal, but finished altogether. When our food finally came it wasn’t even what we ordered. 

Was this bad service?  Of course!  But is bad service an excuse to become bent out of shape?  Not really.

Grade A- occurred the very next day when I went to pick up 30 specially made cupcakes from a local bakery.  They asked for a pick up time.  I told them 5pm. I arrived at 4:55 – early in my mind. But 4:55 was apparently 55 minutes too late.  The gal who took my order forgot to inform me that they close at 4pm on Mondays. 

Panic raced through my bloodstream as I frantically pounded on the door to get the 16 year old mopping the floor to look up, take pity and let me in.

He did. 

Thus, the A-. 

But what if he hadn’t opened the door and given me my cupcakes?  How would I have responded then?  Would I have totally lost it? (been there, done that!)  Or would I have been angry but not sinned?  

The B- grade came 10 minutes after the cupcake incident (see, I told you there is a theme here!).  I drove from the bakery to Starbucks to pick up a pre-ordered tumbler of decaf coffee.  Was the coffee ready?  Yes.  But ask me if it was decaf….just go ahead and ask. 

No, it was not. 

And the people in my world don’t drink caffine at night.

I didn’t say a word except “make it as fast as you can’. But my body language said  in big bold letters “I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.” 

So…all this has left me thinking “God, given the circumstances you have placed in my life, how did I do?” 

I’m convinced that it’s the real life stuff that brings to surface what’s really going on in our souls.  And honestly, my soul could use a little tune-up the last couple of days. 

Reality is that irritations and incompetency will come across our paths.  But I can’t let other’s actions dictate whether or not I will behave in a way that honors Christ. 

I’m not there yet.  I have a long way to go in this area.  The pop quizzes God has given me the past few days have shown me where I’ve passed and where I’ve failed.

What about you?  Are there any recurring themes in your circumstances lately?  Could God be trying to get your attention?  Could he be trying to teach you, refine you and make you more like Him?

Just think about it…..

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4