Parked in God’s Goodness
Posted on August 14, 2007
Filed Under Love, Provision, Faith, Friendship |
“You’re lucky I don’t get out of this car and beat your %$^(*&$!” I was so angry he took the parking space I had been patiently waiting for. The old wrinkled man ignored me as went to join the people waiting for him sitting at Pete’s Coffee. I was boiling with disbelief and anger just I noticed another parking space opening up. I wanted so bad to confront this man, but I had my six-month-old son with me. I wondered what type of person would do such an inconsiderate thing as I drove to the parking space becoming available. I felt abused and disempowered, like the old man had treated me as if I didn’t matter.
Funny enough the new parking space was directly in front of where he and his friends were having coffee. I parked and proceeded to get my son, the old man never looked up from his friends. I imagined myself approaching the table, telling his friends what just happened and tossing coffee in his face. But I have my son with me. In that moment I realized Spirit had offered me a new option immediately. God’s abundance kicked in instantaneously, but my attention was fixed on the unfortunate experience that had just occurred.
As I looked into the eyes of my happy son, who had not been affected by what had just transpired, I realized I had a choice. I could waste my energy being angry and feeling victimized or I could follow the lead of my babe and enjoy the beautiful day beginning to unfold. The Los Angeles weather was beautiful and I was about to join a girlfriend for Sunday morning girl time that included a perfect glass of iced jasmine pearl green tea. Breast feeding for the past six months has limited my green tea consumption, so I was in for a treat.
It’s so easy to allow things to distract us from being who God has created us to be and doing what He has created us to do. An experience like the one I shared could have easily escalated into a battle. In our belief that we are separate from God and his love we can believe that something ‘out there’ has power in our lives. In my five-minute experience, I wondered if the man who had just stolen my parking spot was racist, sexist, or just hateful. All of these are excuses to ignore God as source and supply of all, even those who seem to be unloving. And, even that is a judgment or an assumption on my part.
When faced with false evidence of separation demanding our attention, how do we maintain our truth, our intention, our direction? How do we continue to harness our energy to do God’s work, rather than siphoning it off wastefully? Like all things, it is our choice where we place our attention, how we use our energy and what we believe about ourselves. God has already done His part. It is up to you and I to practice keeping God’s promises fresh before us. When the distractions arise, can we remain open to see new possibilities?
It took the entire time standing in line and one brief conversation with my girlfriend to release my anger over what had taken place. I was there to share inspiration and love with my friend for ourselves and our families and it would’ve been unfortunate if I had allowed a two-minute experience to distract me and keep me from the communion and beauty before me. As I sat at a table in front of Pete’s Coffee, bouncing my happy son, drinking iced jasmine tea and sharing the goodness of God with Bete, I realized I could not be separated from God, not even by the parking space thief.
Romans 8: 38, 39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Peace and Blessings,
Monique Ruffin-James
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Monique,
Thanks for all the inspirational topics you and Nicole wrote on your website. It is so refreshing…
Obamaforchange prayer group.