Don't Give Up; Look Up
While about my work the other day, I was interrupted by Jason's call from the kitchen. "Do we not have any snack size storage bags?"
"Yes," I replied from my office. "They're in the drawer with the other bags." Being a little OCD, I have the bags arranged in the drawer by size: fold top, snack size, sandwich size, and quart size. (The gallon size bags have to go on top of the microwave because the drawer isn't big enough.) Anyway, I digress.
"I don't see any," he replied. This is not an uncommon occurrence at our house. In fact, I recently heard a Christian marriage counselor discuss how men can't find things that are right in front of them, so I guess maybe this is a common theme in most houses.
I sighed, got up from my desk, walked out to the kitchen and immediately pulled out the box labeled "snack size". It was right where I knew it should be. It was right where I told Jason it would be. "It's right here," I cried, handing him the box. Unmoved by my amazing treasure hunting skills, he shook his head. "No, that's what I thought but look!" He reached in and pulled out a regular-sized sandwich bag. I immediately reached into the box and pulled out a snack bag. "One of the sandwich bags just got put in the wrong box. It happens." He had his bag, and we both went on our way.
In Jason's defense, he had looked in the appropriate place. In fact, he'd even looked in the appropriate box, but one thing had been misplaced. In his confusion, he'd asked for help from someone who knew where to find what he was looking for. He was aware that I bought the bags and I put them away. Who better to ask?
I think sometimes we reach into the box of life and pull out something far different than what we expect to find. But rather than asking for help from the One who knows all about it, we just give up. Jason could have said, "I'm looking for a snack bag. This box says 'snack bags', but it contains sandwich bags. I guess we just don't have any snack bags," and walked away.
Asking for help can be difficult, and it's certainly humbling, but it's much better than giving up. Life will not always be what we expect it to be. Days won't always turn out the way we hope or plan. Many times, life throws us some major surprises. But it's no reason to give up. Instead, let's look up. Let's ask for direction and advice. Let's talk and listen to the One who knows the beginning from the end. He's written our life stories, so He knows all the twists and turns. He can lead us through the maze of voices and confusion. He can bring us out, but we can't give up!
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. - James 1:5