Who of us has not experienced delays in one form or another? They often seem to come at the worst moment when we are stretched for time. Delays can come in many forms. We can be stopped by a train, get behind a slow driver, there can be a long line at the grocery store, someone can be paying with change, or an elderly person can be having a difficult time writing a check. When we get in these situations, we often become frustrated. We can feel our blood pressure rising, and we can feel ourselves getting angry. We have put such an emphasis on time, and our lives have become so busy that we often do not allow ourselves enough time to get to our desired location without experiencing stress.

God does not want us to have stress in our lives. I know that stress seems to be an unavoidable part of life, but how we deal with stress will help us manage it. God wants us to have peace. He wants us to have peace in every situation that we encounter. He does not want us to become angry and wants us to deal with delays with a peaceful heart. This sounds impossible, doesn’t it?

But consider this. There will be at least one time in your life, when a delay will keep you safe. As we all know, life is very fragile. Our lives can change in the blink of an eye. None of us really knows how close we have come to being involved in a horrific accident had we arrived on the scene a second earlier. The delays we experience may indeed be saving our lives. When you think of it that way, it kind of puts a whole new spin on things doesn’t it?

So the next time you are experiencing a delay in your day, whatever it may be, stay calm, breathe easy and do not get angry. Smile to yourself and think, “This delay may be saving my life.” It will put everything in a different perspective, and it will bring you peace in an otherwise stressful situation. It has been said that God works in mysterious ways, and delays are just one aspect of that mystery. When we are at peace, we can focus more on the good in life. We can go through our day with a cheerful heart and overcome the daily stresses that we encounter.

So the next time someone delays you, think to yourself, “Thank you for delaying me today. You may have just saved my life.” Being grateful for delays and understanding that they may very well be doing you a favor will bring even more peace to your life, and PEACE MATTERS.

~Dan~