Chick-Fil-A lessons...
I went to Chick-Fil-A for supper tonight because there was nothing at home that sounded good to eat (yes, there was food, just nothing appealing). I walked in and saw no line at all and was very excited because this meant no waiting. I found what I wanted on the menu (chicken nugget combo), specified what I wanted (8 piece, not 12, with a sweet tea to drink) to the very pleasant clerk and paid. She fixed the drink immediately and said it’d be a small wait for the nuggets and fries. I told her, without realizing what I said at first, that I didn’t mind the wait at all because that meant I’d be getting fresh food and it was definitely worth the wait.
How often are we not willing to wait for God to give us good things? In my world, I had surveyed the options in front of me and decided I had nothing good to eat. The same is true that in my perspective, I have nothing good…but God does. So, I went somewhere that could create exactly what I wanted. (God IS a Creator, ya know?) I had no line whatsoever just the same as how God is always available to listen to my heart when I tell Him exactly what I want. He knows what I need (Philippians 4:19) same as how the clerk knew I needed food (as opposed to a car or flowers since I came to Chick-Fil-A instead of a dealership or a florist). I had to wait for the food because I wanted the freshest they had instead of cold, stale, burned or otherwise gross food. They probably could’ve given me some nuggets they got too greasy or some fries that fell on the floor and shoved me right back out the door but they knew that would not be good for me. I was willing to wait the not even 5 minutes for the fresh food because I knew it would be exactly what I needed and the best they had. I decided it was worth the wait. I had to wait regardless but I made the decision myself that it was worth it because I understood the reward factor. God tells me to wait for lots of things, great job, made-for-me husband, new car, etc. I can try to improve on what He has picked out for me and is still preparing for me by getting in a hurry and settling for something not as nice or worse yet, letting someone else decide what’s best for me. Why am I so eager to wait at Chick-Fil-A and not on the hand of God? Is it because Chick-Fil-A, by being “fast food” still meets the instant gratification standard? That waiting 5 minutes is still less than the hour I would’ve had to wait to cook the chicken in my freezer? That shouldn’t matter. The reason I told the clerk was that I was willing to wait because I knew it would be worth it. How much more so is it “worth it” to wait on God and His timing and His choosing?
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fist, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?” -Matthew 7:7-11, NASB
I still have a lot of learning left to do but I want to practice what I learned tonight … especially the reality that what God wants me to have is always better than what I would’ve picked out myself. And it’s DEFINITELY worth waiting for.
How often are we not willing to wait for God to give us good things? In my world, I had surveyed the options in front of me and decided I had nothing good to eat. The same is true that in my perspective, I have nothing good…but God does. So, I went somewhere that could create exactly what I wanted. (God IS a Creator, ya know?) I had no line whatsoever just the same as how God is always available to listen to my heart when I tell Him exactly what I want. He knows what I need (Philippians 4:19) same as how the clerk knew I needed food (as opposed to a car or flowers since I came to Chick-Fil-A instead of a dealership or a florist). I had to wait for the food because I wanted the freshest they had instead of cold, stale, burned or otherwise gross food. They probably could’ve given me some nuggets they got too greasy or some fries that fell on the floor and shoved me right back out the door but they knew that would not be good for me. I was willing to wait the not even 5 minutes for the fresh food because I knew it would be exactly what I needed and the best they had. I decided it was worth the wait. I had to wait regardless but I made the decision myself that it was worth it because I understood the reward factor. God tells me to wait for lots of things, great job, made-for-me husband, new car, etc. I can try to improve on what He has picked out for me and is still preparing for me by getting in a hurry and settling for something not as nice or worse yet, letting someone else decide what’s best for me. Why am I so eager to wait at Chick-Fil-A and not on the hand of God? Is it because Chick-Fil-A, by being “fast food” still meets the instant gratification standard? That waiting 5 minutes is still less than the hour I would’ve had to wait to cook the chicken in my freezer? That shouldn’t matter. The reason I told the clerk was that I was willing to wait because I knew it would be worth it. How much more so is it “worth it” to wait on God and His timing and His choosing?
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fist, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?” -Matthew 7:7-11, NASB
I still have a lot of learning left to do but I want to practice what I learned tonight … especially the reality that what God wants me to have is always better than what I would’ve picked out myself. And it’s DEFINITELY worth waiting for.