This is the day that my rings were scheduled to return from the jewelers. I called the jewelry store today to see if my rings were in. I have a warranty where they will check the prongs, which have broken from time to time. When I originally went to drop off my rings, I also took a watch of my dad's for them to repair. I got a call about a week later, saying that because of the watch's age, they were unable to repair it. They said they would leave the watch there until I picked up my rings when they returned.
The sales person on the phone told me the rings weren't in. I mentioned my dad's watch and she said it wasn't in either. I tried to explain that it should be there, because they were leaving the watch there until I picked up my rings. She was frustrated with me when I asked her to check to see if she could find my dad's watch. She asked me to hold while she looked for it, and then she hung up on me. I was not a happy camper at that point, but didn't like how tense I was feeling. In prayerfully contemplating what had transpired, I realized I should have asked for Jewelry Grace. I knew my voice conveyed my tension when she said my dad's watch wasn't in. I wasn't gracious, nor was I being an example of how Christ works in my life.
About three hours later, the sales person called back and said something about being disconnected. I know she had hung up on me, but I didn't comment about it, nor did I feel that tension. She said that Dad's watch was there and someone would call when my rings arrived. In prayerfully contemplating this conversation, I realized when I acknowledged to Christ that I should have asked for Jewelry Grace, He gave me a reprieve where I got to have a much less tense conversation with the sales person. I felt much better about it and about myself as a Christian. I don't like it when I'm less than gracious, regardless of the other person's actions!
As of late, I've been praying for God's grace in specific situations for me to be more gracious to others with these brief prayers. It's amazing what's happened!
Example of a Brief Prayer
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts 15:11
I was with someone who was scooping up some free popcorn. They didn't ask me if I wanted any. The person told me that I should get a bag of popcorn and then took it from my hands. They wanted me to get the popcorn for them to eat later.
It's such a silly thing, but it really did irritate me. Didn't that person think about whether I wanted some or not? Couldn't they have asked me if I wanted some before they took it from my hands? I found myself getting frustrated at that person. Then, it popped into my mind that that's not what Christ wants of me. He wants me to be gracious to those who irritate me, but I was too frustrated to be gracious at that moment.
Brief Prayer Post Links
- Keep My Mouth Shut Grace
- Moved Things to a Place It Doesn't Belong Grace
- They've Pulled a Board Out of My Fence Grace
- Music's Too Loud Grace
- Dropped the Ball Grace
- Lawn Full of Weeds Grace-Especially Significant During COVID-19
- Do the Opposite Grace
- COVID-19 Grace
- Sweet Husband Grace
- TV Show Grace
- Let Them Cross the Street Grace
- Do Other Things First Grace
- Bad Deal Grace
- I'm Doing It to Myself Grace