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I hate to be late!

The email from a church staff member said the prayer event started at 9:30 a.m. As my husband and I got ready, he mentioned that his group leader said it started at 9 a.m. We scurried, arriving about ten minutes after nine. His info was correct. The prayer event had already begun. Our groups met in separate rooms, so off my husband went.

I walked into my meeting room and looked for a seat, feeling that all eyes were on me. On top of that, I’d invited a friend, telling her 9:30 as well. My friend wasn’t familiar with the church building and would have trouble finding our room. I placed my coat and purse on a chair and, taking my phone with me, went to the lobby to wait for her.

With tears of embarrassment and annoyance threatening, I sat on a bench and asked God why He had let this happen. In a few minutes, the woman who had greeted us at the door came to see if I was okay. Trying to be pleasant, but still upset, I explained about the email with the wrong information and how it had made me feel less valued…unwanted…unimportant.

Years ago, I’d experienced an exclusion—a wound this circumstance now poked. The woman asked who sent the email, saying she hoped it had not been her since that was usually one of her duties. Not having met before, I asked her name and then she asked to see the email. I pulled it up on my phone. Sure enough, she had sent it. Her heartfelt apologies led to a conversation between us that did much to heal my wound.

We prayed together, and I told her I believed God had willed the mistake in her email. Doing so had allowed Him an opportunity to reveal an area in my heart that needed healing. And we both acquired a new friend. God had worked all things together for my good.

Maybe God is looking to heal some areas in your life too. He might even use someone’s unintentional mistake to do that.

When annoyances arise, ask God to help you recognize His will.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

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