Do you ever experience situations where God presents you with opportunities (a.k.a., tests) in the areas of trust and faith and you feel that you fall short? I sure do! I sometimes allow anxiety, fear or frustration to take hold before looking to the Lord for guidance. Despite witnessing growth in myself, the old pattern resurfaces more frequently than I\u2019d care to admit. I\u2019m grateful that he continues to work with me and that he does convict me when stray down the wrong path. I\u2019m also thankful that, through the healing blood of Christ, I can approach him as my Father, seeking forgiveness and he will indeed forgive me. Because\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as far as the east is from the west,
                                so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all have different triggers or weaknesses. Sometimes it\u2019s a health thing that gets me going. Or too many little annoyances have tipped the scales all at once \u2013 maybe on a day where I\u2019m already fighting a headache. Perhaps something triggers a memory of a painful or difficult situation from my past that I don\u2019t want to experience again and, in trying to protect myself from future pain, I make choices that are self-centered and unloving to others. Being an admitted control freak is tough because in these situations \u2013 in ALL situations, actually – I\u2019m not the one in control. God is. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these instances, I believe He is guiding me to hand over the reins on the aspects of life that are beyond my grasp. The irony lies in my tendency to take my eyes off of Him when my feet are to the fire and then losing my footing as I try to rely on my own capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This creates an opportunity for Satan to exploit my weaknesses and I let anxiety get the best of me. Or I get all temperamental and snarky with those undeserving of my frustration rather than reflecting Christ\u2019s love to them. Afterward, I experience God\u2019s conviction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone else feel this struggle?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

So, back to those \u201copportunities\u201d I believe God offers me \u2013 little by little \u2013 to increase my trust in him. Perhaps an alternative title here would be \u201cDo you ever feel like you\u2019re stuck in Groundhog Day?<\/span>\u201d <\/em>I can laugh about it all now. And while my experience here isn\u2019t on par with the miracles witnessed in the Bible, I firmly believe God\u2019s hand was at work in every aspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Establishing the Scene<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I ran to our local larger grocery story \u2013 the one I only occasionally visit because, while it is a lovely place, it is also much more expensive. They do run a few daily deals and I needed things that were on special.  Gotta\u2019 save a buck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off I went, wrist wallet and phone in hand and likely too many things on my mind. I arrived at the store and grabbed a hand basket \u2013 my strategy to keep from buying too many of their spendy offerings \u2013 and began walking through the produce section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hold on!<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the items I planned to purchase on sale was a 24-pack of pop. Yes, we older folks in Iowa call it \u201cpop\u201d. The younger generation, like my teenager, more often refer to it as \u201csoda\u201d and they look at me weird for not doing the same. I\u2019ve heard it\u2019s even called \u201ccoke\u201d in parts of the South. Regardless of the name, the issue was clear: no pop\/soda\/coke options in the 24-pack size would comfortably fit in the hand basket. Heading back to the door, I quickly exchanged it for the smallest push cart, and returned it to its stack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I continued on with my shopping, ultimately passing on the 24-pack because they didn\u2019t have my preferred guilty pleasure – Mt. Dew with real sugar – on their shelves. As a side note. I drink very little pop and only buy it for large family gatherings or when I have a severe migraine. In this case, it was intended for our upcoming Thanksgiving get-together: the real sugar version just tastes so much better than its high fructose counterpart!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting back to the story…<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I hastily completed my errand and was at the checkout counter preparing to pay. I reached down to grab the wrist wallet that should have been in the cart – should have been, but wasn\u2019t. In an instant, I became \u201cthat person\u201d. You know who I mean \u2013 the one who inadvertently holds up the line with the unexpected issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, I had my phone in my hand because my grocery list was on it. But where was my wallet? Was it still in the car? And then it hit me \u2013 I must have left it in the hand basket that I exchanged when I first entered the store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wearing what I\u2019m certain was a deer-in-the-headlights expression, I excused myself from the checkout lane (it\u2019s all sort of an embarrassing blur). I mumbled something about \u201clost my wallet\u2026hand basket\u2026will return\u201d. The yet-to-be-paid-for groceries lay momentarily abandoned on the conveyor belt. I sprinted to the basket stack only to find no sign of the wallet. I checked the other stack just in case I\u2019d forgotten which one I returned the basket to. Still no wallet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mind going blank. Panic setting in…<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not only did I need to settle the bill for the groceries but, on top of that, my car key fob was attached to the missing wallet. And this was the only key fob we have for that vehicle! Thoughts raced through my mind: \u201dCancel credit cards, bank card, replace driver\u2019s license, insurance cards.\u201d I could feel the unwelcome surge of adrenaline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I was walking back to the register it dawned on me \u2013 Apple Pay! Admittedly, I rarely use it except for the occasional Starbucks treat. Thankfully, the store did support Apple Pay and I was able to move my groceries out of the way so the next customer in line could proceed with their purchase. It may not have been on my preferred card, but at least the groceries were officially mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what to do now?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There I stood, looking quite lost, with my small push cart full of groceries and nowhere to go. Mind you, I live only 2.5 miles from the store \u2013 a quick drive – but not what would make for an enjoyable walk with bags in tow. As I approached the customer service counter, hoping against hope that someone turned in the wallet, my thoughts shifted to my next step. Contemplating the possibility of calling an Uber because my husband was in a different part of the city, I dialed him up just to fill him in. Anxiety was taking control and the tension and frustration in my voice was obvious to those around me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know what I forgot to do? Pray<\/strong>. That\u2019s what made me sad when I reflected on the situation. I didn\u2019t completely crumble under the pressure. But in navigating on the fly, I was once again turning to myself first. I missed the opportunity to seek guidance from the Lord in the areas of trust and faith and to hand things over to him in prayer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I reached the counter and explained my predicament. The sympathetic young man smiled and said, \u201cDoes your wallet have a handle?\u201d Indeed, it does! He walked over and whispered something to the store security guard. After confirming my identity, the guard retrieved my wallet from the safe, complete with car keys and content intact. Praise God! He provides!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I dialed my husband again. False alarm – whew! And I headed home\u2026but that\u2019s not the end of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establishing the Scene \u2013 Deja Oops<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The initial mishap occurred on Sunday. By Monday, the new sale was posted online and in it was an offer for 12-packs of Pepsi products. Given that I\u2019d seen my preferred Dew in that size just the day before, and with eggs now priced at only $.99\/dozen, how could I resist returning? After all, it\u2019s just 2.5 miles away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time I took extra care to ensure my wallet was securely in the cart. By the time I reached the checkout with my half-dozen items (because other things inevitably jump in), I was feeling quite successful. I paid for my groceries and wheeled the cart out to my car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I reached for my key fob to open the trunk, my heart sank. It was missing! I stood there in stunned silence. Here I was, standing by my car \u2013 the car I couldn\u2019t load with groceries or drive home without the key fob.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What??<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

How could this happen again? Was it a dream? It felt eerily similar to the day before. Was I stuck in a Groundhog Day loop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite once again forgetting to pray first, I did sense the need to stay calm and work through the situation \u2013 perhaps a small amount of growth. With no idea where the key fob slipped away, I retraced my steps through the parking lot and back into the store, approaching the same customer service counter I had visited just the day before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A different person was working this time. I asked, \u201cCan I leave my cart here for a few minutes?\u201d She seemed concerned and I thought the answer was going to be a firm no. \u201cI need to look for my car key. It detached from my wallet somewhere in here and I can\u2019t drive anywhere.\u201d (Once again, my mind was already contemplating the Uber.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then she smiled and asked, \u201cWhat kind of car do you drive?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNissan\u201d, I replied, \u201cwith scotch tape on the key fob\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She handed me the key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God is indeed in control.<\/strong> He orchestrates situations to teach and grow us in our trust and faith. Even if I hadn\u2019t recovered the wallet or the keys, God still would be in control. He has a purpose for all he does \u2013 for his glory and our good. Yet, God cares and he is merciful. In this instance, He was watching out for me when I wasn\u2019t doing a great job on my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Moral of the Story <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do not be anxious. Instead, pray. Seek the Lord. He knows what we need. He will provide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

^{25 <\/sup><\/em><\/strong>\u201cTherefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 <\/sup><\/strong>Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 <\/sup><\/strong>And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 <\/sup><\/strong>And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 <\/sup><\/strong>yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 <\/sup><\/strong>But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 <\/sup><\/strong>Therefore do not be anxious, saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 32 <\/sup><\/strong>For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 <\/sup><\/strong>But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n}

(Matthew 6:25-33)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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