A balloon

Have you ever waited a long time in a line? You may have really wanted to purchase something for your child and in your mind, it was worth the wait. I did this at an event the other day. My kids were so excited to get a balloon from the balloon artist. At first, it seemed that the wait was short.

The wait

There weren’t too many people in front of me so I was hopeful. Fifteen minutes turned into half an hour, a half hour into forty-five minutes and so on. I was tired and ready to be done standing in line. It was just me because Jonathan was in charge of one of the stations at the event. There was no break in sight but the kids really wanted a balloon. So, I waited. After about an hour, it was finally our turn. The kids each told the balloon artist what animal or object they wanted. They were so thrilled to be getting a balloon. I think I may have been even more so because the wait was finally over. Each of the kids received their balloon and we walked away. All was right in their world.

Until

Until less than five minutes later, Caleb’s balloon popped. The look on his face was heartbreaking. I felt bad for him but to be totally honest, I was really angry in that moment.  “Did I seriously just stand in line for about an hour for that popped balloon? I thought to myself. I can’t believe one of the balloon popped already!” The frustration was rising and I knew I needed to chill out.

Remember the why

In that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. He helped me to see that I was casting blame on Caleb. The Holy Spirit also asked me “Why did you stand in line?” As I processed this all, I realized I didn’t stand in line for the end result. I stood in line because I loved my kids. They really wanted a balloon and I wanted something fun for them. It wasn’t about the balloon. It was about loving my kids and showing them that I value them enough to stand in line.

Perspective

I am thankful the Holy Spirit helped me to get the right perspective. As I reflected more, I felt like I was able to understand God’s heart even more for His children. He is willing to do anything to show His love for us. God goes to great lengths to shower us with His blessings. I love how much He cares for us!

So, the next time you have to wait in line, I encourage you to remember the why. It’s not about the object but the person you are doing it for. Also, I challenge you to think about God’s great love for you. Remember all that He has done to show you how much He values you. Joining you in the journey…