I really don’t like waiting for HandyDart. This past
Wednesday was no exception. I had been given a 6:15-6:45 window to get to a
bible study by 7:30. Then I was told the ride was going to be fifteen minutes
late. Even though another bus showed up within the window to drop someone off,
they wouldn’t pick me up. I began feeling really sorry for myself. I was
waiting outside and it was getting cold.
I was supposed to get to the bible study early for dinner so I hadn’t
eaten yet. I wanted to be able to get in a car and leave. I knew that HandyDart
was deciding when I would leave the study too. The distance was too far for me
to take a cab home. I wanted control over all these things like any other
twenty something living in her first apartment.
I asked God when this would change. When would I be healed
and have true independence? Then I thought about how the driver would feel if I
brought this attitude onto the bus. They don’t choose their routes. The
dispatcher tells them where to go and they go there. I didn’t want to say
something I would regret later. But I was too frustrated to think differently.
So I asked God to help me change my attitude and my thought pattern. I began
feeling thankful that I had a ride to the Bible study even though it was late.
I decided to make the best of the situation.
With God’s help I joked around with the driver and had a
wonderful conversation with an older lady on the bus. The driver had picked her
up from White Rock, that was the reason for the late arrival. This fellow
passenger is also a Christian and we had a great conversation about our shared
faith. She admired my joy and I enjoyed hearing about some of her experiences
as a Christian. I got to the Bible study in good time and as I exited the bus I
told this woman that I hoped I would see her again. We ended up sharing a bus
ride home and continuing our conversation, which turned to our personal
journeys to faith in Christ. I would have missed out on both conversations if I
had stayed bitter about the late ride. I’m glad I decided to ask God to help me
change my attitude and purify my thoughts. I would’ve missed out on a new
friend otherwise.
Life is never completely fair. But I’m going to spend more
time thinking about things that will point me to Jesus. He is always ready to
change my perspective.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8, ESV
