I received an email, this morning, from a good friend of mine (a former student in our youth ministry days) who is now serving as a missionary, along with her family, in a foreign country.  I always enjoy getting their ministry updates and today's was, not only a blessing but a piercing to my heart.  I find myself grumbling many days over the inconveniences of life; waiting in a line, being placed on hold, a slow driver, etc, you get the picture, right? typical frustrations that can irritate, causing my focus to be completely off kilter.  My friend was sharing a story about the frustrations they face in a tough country and how they played out in her life; she is after all human like we are; yet God chose to use that frustration to bring His word home to her.  Here is a short exert of what she shared about a frustrating and long experience of waiting in a line, with her husband and 6 young children:

"Often things that in America would be quick and simple are unnecessarily difficult and frustrating here. And this applies to many aspects of life here.  After our registration experience I asked God to forgive me and told Him that I simply cannot represent Him well when I am in situations like that. I had lost any platform from which to share the gospel due to my anger and impatience. Often situations in which we mingle with the people provide opportunities for witnessing, but on this day I would have died of embarrassment had I been asked by any of the others in line, “Why are you here in this country anyway?” “Oh, well, uh, I am here to share with you how Christ can change your life”. I know that that is indeed true—I cannot represent Him well. God has to
empower me through His Holy Spirit at ALL times to live and to respond rightly—when I am in a foreign
registration line, on the bus being yelled at by a rude person (another fun experience), or in our home as we
deal with just the ordinary frustrations of life. Will you please pray for our family that we will be enabled by His power to be a shining example of Jesus’ love, even in those situations that are a special challenge to us?"

How often do I find myself looking just like the world? how often do my actions reflect those of Christ in situations that are unpleasant? I was humbled and convicted, by this story, because I tend to take the wrong path so quickly and not look for the ways God can use me, even in the frustrating and irritating circumstances.  I pray God can continue to show me the areas that need some good deep-cleaning in my life and my soul, no matter how painful or embarrassing!