Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Phil. 4:6
Yesterday on my way to take my Mom to the store I got into a major traffic jam at one of the busiest intersections in the city, where I-78 merges onto Hamilton Boulevard. The back up began on Hamilton, but flowed onto the exit and was backing up on 78, which then also was causing a backup on the entrance ramp because the ramp traffic couldn’t get on. They were merging two lanes into one, plus the exiting traffic. Prior to the back up the construction signs said the left lane was closed and to merge right.
So here’s where today’s verse comes in. The left lane was moving and right lane was not, and when it did, the cars coming off I-78 forced their way over. So there I sat, for over half an hour. And what were they doing , working on the working traffic lights. As I sat waiting to be able to move I began to grumble, then got angry and talking to God and not in a nice way. I called my Mom to let her know I was stuck in traffic so she wouldn’t worry. And now I was telling the Lord how unfair it was that the people that keep the rules (staying in the right lane) were the ones being punished while the left lane was moving and quickly may I add. I began the litany of why didn’t I get on 78 and take 309 to Tilghman St and go the back way, or go to Cedar Crest Boulevard.
Then my Mom called back saying I should just go home and told her I’m not going home, I still could take her to the store. As we hung up, I began to laugh at how I must have looked to the people in the other cars, talking to myself and looking angry. I asked God, what is wrong with me, why am I getting so upset? I was safe, it was a beautiful day, I could sit with the sunroof open and look into the beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds. I could pray, I could listen to uplifting Christian music and on and on it went. My mood began to change and so did everything else.
Once I started to focus on something else than the traffic jam, I could begin to see all the things I could do while waiting to get through. Isn’t that just like us to complain and blame everything instead of remembering that Jesus has given us His Holy Spirit so we can pray with His power with Thanksgiving. Notice it says everything and I mean everything! Even sitting in a traffic jam. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of letting the Devil steal my joy, peace, integrity and most of all my witness. So let’s put the Devil on notice, we’re going to not be anxious about anything, but pray about everything and let God take care of the rest.
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