Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

It was one of those days. Everything seemed to be going wrong.

The shelf on the refrigerator broke. I needed to put the milk and other containers on other shelves, sideways. Later when I opened the refrigerator - yes - the milk had leaked.

While cleaning up the mess caused by spilled milk, I knocked over a container of sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds went flying all over. Another mess.

While I was out driving, I missed the street where I wanted to turn. Looking for a way to get back on the right road, I managed to hit a HUGE pothole! I thought I damaged the car. I just wanted to get back home.

Home again, I checked email and Meta facebook. Lo and behold, I see my cable bill was posted on messages to several of my friends! along with a video of a broadcast I never watch! I had been hacked. 

I was feeling quite defeated. Then I felt discouraged about feeling defeated. 

I thought about the little setbacks I had during the day. They are truly minor compared to the major problems happening in our world. There are wars, there is poverty, there are people imprisoned unjustly and inhumanely. There are people in deep pain and feeling hopeless. "Spilled milk" is nothing compared to all of that.

I wanted to pray about my problems and how I was feeling, to bring my own situation to the Lord. But how can I pray about these minor inconveniences? So added to this, I started to feel selfish.

I was reminded about little children who may break a favorite toy, scrape a knee, lose a balloon - nothing major. And parents who may be struggling with all of their grown-up problems take the time and attention to comfort their children. The relationship and the love is all important.

In the same way, my heavenly Father cares about the brokenness of our world throughout all generations, and He still cares about every single detail of my life, even those that seem so very insignificant. He wants to bring healing to our world. He wants to bring healing to my life. It's about love and our relationship with Him.

So I pray about the "small things" and I pray about the "big things."

And I know "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. All things - even spilled milk.

 Photo by Daniel Sinoca on Unsplash