Patience and Listening: God Still Speaks To You

I just wanted some hamburgers for lunch. 

Me and my boys were in the Walmart attempting to use a gift card. It wasn't working, and I was left with only a bag of quarters my wife had given me. So we put back the roll of hamburger and got some bread and a trifold my other son needed for a school project. 

Then I was prompted by the Spirit to give it another go. I told my sons that we're stopping at a local Food Lion to grab some hamburger. Moments later, I have the hamburger, my bag of quarters, and I'm standing in line. I hate lines. It makes things tedious. However, considering it's the first weekend of the official holiday shopping season, it was expected. I looked around and saw all the other lines and was going to move but God said, "DON'T. MOVE." 

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I was paralyzed. Why couldn't I move to another line? A God event was ocurring. That's what I call them when the Holy Spirit prompts me with urgent instructions. As I began to scan my area for any anomalies I looked up front and began paying attention to a younger guy and an older woman talk. He was paying for expensive pot roast  she was stunned. In return, she turned to the woman in front of me and paid for her groceries! The woman, unsure of what was going on, turned to me and paid for my hamburger! What an amazing moment! 

Here are some lessons I learned from the experience: 

1. Be obedient to God's prompting, even when it doesn't make sense to me. 
2. Be obedient to what God has called you to be – a follower with a pleasant Spirit. I could have easily gotten impatient and aggravated at my day. I didn't, and I thank God I did well! 
3. Patience is more than an action, but a mental condition. The ability to be patient begins in the mind and is shown in our actions. 

Scripture tells us in James 1:25 that, "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do."  

If we continue in what Jesus has taught us through his Word, we will always be free from bitterness, anger, poor spirits, etc. If we don't forget God's Word, and do it, God will bless us. He wants to bless us, but he also needs us to listen to bless us.  

And yes, I made some awesome burgers for Sunday lunch, but learned a lot more from the Spirit.