Panera Bread is one of my favorite places to frequent. I often go there to study for my small group, or upcoming conferences. There is such an anointing on their coffee! As a matter of fact, that is where I am sitting right now.

As I stood in line, there was a young dad in front of me. He was holding a little girl who was probably two years old, and beside him stood his son who was about four years old. The dad is standing there trying to order for his children. The entire time that he is ordering, his son is pulling on his dad’s pants and saying, “Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad.” Finally, in the midst of placing his order, the man stops long enough to say to his child, “Be patient. I’m ordering something for you.”

Dad turned around and continued to order things on behalf of his son. The young lad persisted in pulling on Dad’s pants, “Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad, did you hear me?” Dad looked down and said to the son, “Be patient. I heard you.”

My mind immediately began to think about how it is with God and His children.

So often, I want God’s immediate answer on a matter. I call His Name over, and over, and over, as if to say, “Dad, did you hear me?” The whole time I think, “God must not have heard me!”

Yet, God is working on something for me. He is ordering what His child needs.

I can be guilty of wanting a sitcom God, one who works it out in thirty minutes. Yet, I must remember that He rarely writes sitcoms, and most often He writes a novel. He is putting the whole story together chapter by chapter, event by event. He is setting the scene for His intervention, and He is developing every character needed for the story.

Child of God, hear this: Be patient! God hears you! God is ordering just what you need! He is writing “His”story, which will be your “His/story” of His amazing grace!

Joseph waited 13 years. Abraham waited 25 years. Moses waited 40 years. Jesus waited 30 years. If God is making you wait, you’re in good company.

“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” – Hebrews 12:1b-2a

A bit stunned I was to come across words written by someone that Gaylon and I had not seen in at least thirty-five years. I wish I had never seen those words, and I am sure the writer never thought I would see them. The words were written just a month ago, and were a bashing of my husband when he was the person’s pastor thirty-five years ago.  That goes with the territory, and I get that. No pastor/leader will be loved or liked by everyone. I totally get that.

My first thoughts were, “How dare he write this! The nerve of him calling out my husband by name! Who does he think he is saying these things which are not even true?  Thirty-five years later, dude? Give it a rest!” In my mind, my claws began to come out, and I was ready to give him a piece of my mind. The more I read, and re-read, the madder I became! I was so very close to writing him my opinion. After all, MY opinion is so important and needed!

Thank God I did nothing at the moment, and pondered it throughout the day. I did not call my best friend and vent. I did not discuss it with others. I did not try to pull others to my side. I did not try to get them to dislike the person with me. (At that moment I had enough dislike for everyone!) My flesh wanted to do all of these.

As evening time came, God had softened my heart, and God also spoke to me about not letting this become a seed in my heart, that would produce a crop of bitterness.
Hebrews 12:15 states, “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”  Allowing bitterness to take root is a dangerous thing, so dangerous that God tells us that it will cause us trouble in life, and corrupt others in the process.

It’s easy to forget that we have choices when we’re offended. We can hold on to hurt, continue to rehearse hurt, or we can surrender our hurt.

Life is hard enough without the baggage of bitterness. In the words of Elsa, “Let it go.”