I walk in to see my son’s underwear, pants and toys stuffed into the toilet. I go off.
I take personally the advice my husband’s offering. I act irritated.
I am late to my son’s school. I get anxious.
I get in the slow checkout lane at the grocery store. I tap my foot with impatience.
I get stuck on a customer service call, it takes forever and I get nothing done. I snap at them.
I talk with a family member who has issues. I immediately respond with advice.
I hear a person talk about their problems and pains. I jump in to rescue.
I listen to a friend talk. I cut them off.
The common denominator? I just can’t wait. In a flash, I respond.
But, what if, I changed my course of action?
What if I decided to have a “reaction of inaction” instead of a “reaction of dissatisfaction”?
Might things change?
Would a simple one second wait change my fate?
Might I evaluate and not retaliate?
Could I see more and not end up being one I abhor?
When we take a second to wait, we actually set our paths straight.
We not only delay our reaction, but we delay our heart from going the wrong way.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6)
I don’t have to react based on my understanding, I can grab hold of a “reaction of inaction” so that in every moment, I seek to trust the Lord. I don’t have respond to a stimuli, but only to the will of God.
God offers me freedom from my circumstances.
If I seek him, he will be faithful to guide me.
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. (Is. 30:18)
Even more, what would happen if I considered that the Lord is ready to be gracious to me in these tense moments?
Would that change my response?
My perspective?
Because He is waiting to be gracious. He is waiting to show mercy. Imagine that – in our tense, overwhelming and frustrating moments, he just waits to see how he can pour out on us.
I don’t want to miss that. Do you?
Our “reaction of dissatisfaction” robs us of joy, but through a “reaction of inaction” we have the opportunity to seize joy.
Inaction for one simple second might entirely change the course of our relationships. We don’t have to be the wild responder; because we can now be the grace-filled responder.
I want to invest and not divest in my relationships. Don’t you?
I want to practice myself in the wait.
I know God will be, as he always has been, faithful to me.
And, he will be to you too.
Let’s trust him as we wait. We can choose the one response that will leave us blessed instead of feeling stressed.
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. (Lam. 3:25)
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Happy to be joining the #fmfparty today.
What a gorgeous reminder of grace this morning. Found you from FMF and so happy I did!
It is a pleasure to have you Sabrina! Come join us for our #RaRalinkup on Mondays on Twitter and Tuesdays on my blog for the linkup.
Such great words, every time I stop by I love this Kelly, thank you for sharing it 🙂
Farin
I am so glad you enjoyed it Farin. It is great to hear from you and I can’t wait to catch up next Monday and Tuesday with you for #RaRalinkup. I am praying that God grants you peace and waiting in your day.
Love your post – again! I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately…..and actually putting it in to practice. Not reacting, just waiting, seeing how things pan out. Taking the time, when I’m stuck in a queue or waiting for someone, to attend to my needs (meditation in the waiting room, reading in a queue)…life expands in proportion to the joy we manage to find in it; by waiting, by not reacting, we learn to find, to see and to appreciate the joy everywhere. Loved your post, thank you {A FMF friend}
Helen, I am delighted you enjoyed it. It can be so hard not to react. Great point about life expanding to the proportion we find joy in it. Love that thought. Thanks a ton for joining me today for this post.
Thanks for this encouragement, Kelly. How often I forget that the one second wait won’t change my fate but it can change my attitude to a better one. Thanks for the reminder!
Yes, we have a split second to decide how we will react. I want to be so much more intentional about it. I am so glad it was a good reminder for your soul!
inaction….LOVE it! Great post, life changing advice. Thanks so much Kelly
Yay! This is like the best comment a blogger can ever get Rachel Ann, isn’t it? To know we made a difference. You made my day today. I am thankful it was meaningful to you.
Awesome reminder Kelly thank you! I listened to you as I read and it was so great to hear your voice and passion for truth behind the words that you share 🙂
Thanks Sarah, it is so fun to speak these words. I am glad you enjoyed it. I love your words and insights; thank you so much for sharing in mine too!
I know how that feels. It’s so hard to wait for that one moment and take that one breath. But that’s as long as it takes to pray. And then grace flows.
Yes, that is so right David, we can just pray and then our whole demeanor changes. I love that. Now, let’s hope in the moment, we can apply it.
That’s great advice.
You see two people argue over who grabbed that last flat screen tv on sale at Walmart first; or you curse at the driver who just cut you off while your children listen from them backseat.
But if we take a second, like you say, before we react, how much better would our situation be? What if we looked at it, “not as what is the world trying to take from me,” but instead as “what is God trying to give me?”
Thanks, Kelly.
Michael,
I loved this point: “not as what is the world trying to take from me,” but instead as “what is God trying to give me?” That really gets me thinking. Thanks a ton for leaving this comment. I love growing in perspective. Now, if only we can apply it!
“I want to practice myself in the wait.” Yes – this. The wait can often be so long and ridden with emotion and stife, but the art of it, the practice of waiting is such a transforming thing. God really does mold and change us while we wait for Him to move. Thanks, Kelly – blessed to be stopping by from FMF.
Absolutely Tiffany, thank you so much for joining me here today. It is a joy to have you. If we can just let him lead us, he won’t lead us wrong. I cheer both our souls on as we pursue him!
This is such a good reminder. I know that I save myself a lot of trouble when I’m more patient in my responses. Instead of flying off the handle, I need to trust and seek God in the way I react.
Yes Dawn. I see that too. If we can just trust God to work it out through us, he will be faithful. I am praying this for both of us. Thanks for visiting today!
Love this Kelly. This is simply stated and oh so true. I can definitely be impatient and I often don’t seek the Lord when I am. Thanks for speaking (writing 😉 the truth. Going to do my best, through His strength, to seek Him in the hardest moments!
You know what is so funny? Just as you were writing this I was thinking about you. I was even thinking about you writing a comment on my blog. Somehow I knew this was going to be here. Thank you for your words Christy and thank you for leaving a comment. You are a dear friend and I SO value you. Let’s respond with grace!