Chasing WonderSample

Day 4: Those Inconvenient Little Foxes 

Inconvenience is the enemy of many great things. It sneaks in like an insidious troll and can stop your progress dead in its tracks—if you allow it. It says, “It’s just too much work. It’s not worth the effort. It would be so much easier to pass this time.” Then, before you know it, “this time” has become nearly every time and you have missed out on life. 

Like the little foxes talked about in Song of Solomon 2:15, these small menaces come in and spoil the vine or destroy the good God has in mind for us. If I am going to overcome potentially serious obstacles, and I am determined with God’s help to do just that, I have to begin by shutting down the little inconveniences that thwart my progress.

Most of us work very hard to avoid messy. I know I do. I like order and organization. But what do we miss out on when we shy away from a little disorder? Life is messy. And I believe in order to live the purposeful, fulfilling life we all want, we have to get a little messy sometimes. An adventure mentality says, “I am going to risk the messiness of my plans not going exactly as expected, circumstances not always firmly in my control, and relationships that aren’t perfect, because the return on investment is so much greater than the sacrifice.” 

The bottom line is, do you want perfection, or do you want passion? When an opportunity comes your way that doesn’t line up perfectly with your plans or expectations, at least give it a second look. It could be the diversion, or the miracle, that you actually needed. Be interruptible! God loves the element of surprise so leave room for Him to show you some wonder.

There are many inconveniences in life. One day, I was emptying the dishwasher when my arm brushed across the damp counter sending a few utensils cascading to the ground. One of those was a fork that flew off the counter, tines down, and directly into my toe. Ouch! I jumped back and was grumbling about that stupid fork when I noticed something that abruptly shifted my attention: there was a very large knife stuck blade down into the hardwood floor, and it was right where my foot had just been.

Got the picture? The fork that fell first, jabbing my toe and inspiring me to move quickly, spared my foot from the huge knife that was coming right behind it. One was an inconvenience, the other would have been a real problem. I love to tell that story because it’s a great example of how we complain about life’s inconveniences, sometimes completely unaware of how God uses them to move us to where He wants us.

Today, determine that you will shake off those inconveniences, stop making excuses, and say yes to your next adventure. Then, embrace the mess!