I was invited to an online Pampered Chef event. For those who are unfamiliar with Pampered Chef, they carry kitchen and cooking items. I definitely have my favorite items and I knew exactly what I would order: the round lidded container I often use for cookies. I have several, but I tend to lose them from time to time, so I thought I’d get an extra. I clicked the link on my phone and searched for it—unsuccessfully. I decided to look again later.
I still couldn’t find it. I did a general online search to see if it showed up somewhere else to give me the specific name to use in my shopping search. No reliable results. Then it started to bug me.
I was about to reach out and ask for help when I realized: it’s not a Pampered Chef item. It’s Tupperware. Oops. I should have known.
Once I had the right perspective, I was able to search well and choose well. I wonder how many times we search for something in the wrong place. We might get impatient and frustrated. We might wonder why someone didn’t explain something better. I hear that reason (excuse?) often among students: “I didn’t do well/I don’t understand, because the teacher didn’t do a good job of explaining it.” I’m not saying that doesn’t happen, but could we engage in the learning process a bit differently and assume our responsibility?
Each of us is correctable. If we search for the right things in the wrong places or poor timing, we won’t make much progress. I’m confident God can guide us and provide for us with his creativity and wisdom, which isn’t quite what we expect at times. But if we don’t ask him, seek him, and trust him, we could end up impatient, frustrated, misguided, and waste a lot of valuable time in the process.
Pure Purpose 