July 5 - Cindy Mah

Losing perspective.

I got my first traffic ticket in 2018 after driving for many decades.

I was a bit traumatized since I have never even gotten a parking ticket. Yes, I am one of those annoying people who tend drive too slow on the right lane.

There was one particular spot on my way to work where I saw a cop always giving out tickets to drivers and I always wanted to know why... well, now I know why.

Bottom line was I was impatient waiting at a red light. As I sulked, brooding over the ticket violation of improper passing with a penalty of 4 points, the Lord spoke to my heart.

"Your impatience is a symptom of losing perspective of things in life." Then the Lord brought back my mind to a memory of an experience I had a long ago.

I was sitting in heavy traffic going to Queens, the Mecca of traffic jams in New York City. My husband Henry was driving and I was sitting next to him. Our car was at a standstill most of the time. Once in a while our car would inch along in slow motion. I remembered looking at Henry and then looking out at the wave of cars surrounding us, resembling a parking lot on the highway, but instead of the normal response of stress, I was filled with joy.

I was in worship mode because Henry had the stamina to drive as he slowly recovered from cancer that year. I was happy to be anywhere with my husband, he was alive and it was a miracle. Doing a normal thing again, like being in a traffic jam was a privilege for which I was grateful for.

In battling cancer, Henry had gone through 6 major surgeries because the chemo/radiation treatment had compromised his recovery. It took 2 years for him to fully recover. I remember celebrating doing the simplest things like going to the supermarket together. Henry would be walking in slow motion at the pace of a turtle. I was just happy to do anything with him. We would hold hands in the produce aisle and I felt like a teenager in love!

I am so glad God took me down memory lane to remind me of the perspective I should have. We need to see the fundamental things in life are precious. We have Jesus: forgiveness and salvation. We have his word, the Bible and Church. God blessed us with family and relationships. We take all these things for granted if busyness causes us to forget to be thankful. The opposite of gratefulness is being entitled and that does not satisfy.

Nothing changes our perspective in life more than a grateful heart, it fills us with a sense of awe and joy. Cultivating gratitude helps us transcend the mundane, the stress, and difficulties. When we give thanks, it is an act of worship and we dethrone self. When we go through trials, instead of having a pity party, we start to praise God and we have Holy Spirit party. Every day, every sunrise, every sunset are gifts from God. Gratitude changes our attitude.

Now when I am waiting at a red light, I : "Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God" (Job 37.14) When I am waiting in long lines...instead of being impatient I talk to God and thank Him for giving me life, and I pray for people around me.

When I get impatient again because of my flesh, I remind myself: I am losing perspective of the important things of life, impatience will rob me of the peace and joy I have in Christ and I need to ask God to help me because without Him I can do nothing.

"Behold you delight truth in the inward being and you teach me wisdom in the secret" Psalm 51.6

"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me..." Psalm 50.23