I was leaving Starbucks and I could feel it welling up inside of me.
Frustration.
Irritation.
And I recognize it well when it rears it's ugly head.
It's all-too familiar.
Unfortunately.
The woman working the window must've been having a difficult morning. And I just may have been her target.
And then again maybe I wasn't her target at all... maybe she's just struggling. Maybe she needs Jesus. And just maybe I missed the opportunity to be the only grace-carrier she would see that day.
And as I felt the irritation swell within my spirit, I felt the immediate conviction of the Holy Spirit.
And I prayed these words as I drove away... "Give me eyes of compassion over expressions of irritation."
Because my frustration with the Starbucks employee had absolutely nothing to do with her. But it had everything to do with me.
It's a heart issue after all.
And it begged closer examination.
Hebrews 12:1, in part says this, "... let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up." The Passion Translation says it this way, "... let go of every wound that has pierced us."
It's as if it's saying, "That arrow that the enemy has used to pierce your heart is still lodged inside of you - and it's time to get it out! It's destroying you! It's destroying others THROUGH you."
By carrying around our own wounded-ness, we are in a sense carrying around a weight that keeps us from running the race of FREEDOM God has carefully mapped out for us!
And so I quickly ran home and wrote it in my journal, "Quit carrying around that arrow of wounded-ness! It doesn't belong in me! It's debilitating, distracting, defeating, dangerous, and downright damaging!
I read it in my commentary - "If we would run well, we must run light."
What is it that I must let go of so I can replace it with love, acceptance, forgiveness, and patience?
Father God, may I have eyes of compassion over expressions of irritation!
It so so so matters!
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