Reflection 66: Finding God in the Inconvenience

Some days, it feels like everything is just… in your way.

You hit every red light. Every single one.
The person in front of you at the gas pump just started filling up and is taking their sweet time.
You get in a drive-thru line, and suddenly it feels like the person ahead of you is ordering the entire menu.

Everything slows down.

Everything feels inconvenient.

Everything feels like it’s not moving at the speed you want it to.

And if I’m being honest… those moments frustrate me. I’ve had my fair share of that frustration—today included.

But lately, I’ve been trying to do something different in those moments.

Instead of rushing through them or letting myself spiral into annoyance, I’ve been trying to give it to God. The impatience. The irritation. The “ugh” of it all.

Because maybe… I’m being slowed down for a reason.

Maybe hitting every red light isn’t just bad luck. Maybe it’s protection. Maybe if I had left five minutes earlier—or five minutes later—something would’ve been different. Maybe I wouldn’t have made it safely. Maybe I would’ve missed something I was supposed to be a part of.

I don’t always know the reason.

But I trust that there is one.

And honestly, it’s also a really good way for the Lord to teach me patience—because He knows I need it.

A lot.

So instead of fighting those slow moments, I’m trying to sit in them.

To breathe.
To look around.
To stop rushing from one thing to the next.

Because not everything is about getting to the next thing.

Sometimes, we’re meant to be right where we are.

There’s that quote from Rafiki in The Lion King: “It’s called the present because it’s a gift.”

And as simple as that sounds… it’s true.

We rush through so many moments trying to get to what’s next that we forget to appreciate what’s right in front of us.

Even something as simple as sitting in the car.

That can be time to pray.
Time to reflect.
Time to turn on some music and praise the Lord.

(If I’m being honest, a lot of these reflections—these blog posts—start in the car.)

But those moments matter.

The quiet moments.
The inconvenient moments.
The slow moments.

They’re all gifts.

And we’re only here for a short time.

We have eternity with the Lord—but right now, this time matters too.

So the question becomes…

Are we using these moments to grow closer to Him?
Or are we letting them pass by, frustrated and distracted?

Because if we’re not intentionally moving toward Him, we can slowly drift away without even realizing it.

I had a conversation with my husband recently, and he told me I needed to pray more.

And if I’m being honest… it kind of annoyed me.

In my head, I was like, I pray at meals. I pray before bed. I go to church. I’m doing enough.

But the truth is… there isn’t a “quota” when it comes to prayer.

There’s no checklist.

Prayer isn’t something we check off. It’s something we live.

It’s found in the small, in-between moments.

In the car.
At a red light.
While waiting in line.

God is in all of it.

He chose you to exist.
He knows every strand of hair on your head.

And He’s present in every moment—whether we slow down enough to notice Him or not.

So maybe next time everything feels like it’s slowing you down…

It’s not a delay.

Maybe it’s an invitation.