Conversations with God

I left the office this afternoon and was driving to a home visit in Northeast Wichita. 

Two of my favorite things are driving and listening to music.  Usually I'm rocking the Pearl Jam, Pink, Katy Perry or a Glee CD, but for some reason I didn't even turn the music on.  It was just starting to rain and I just drove along silently, listening to the rain hit the windshield and the rhythmatic thump of the windshield wipers.  There was also a great deal of road construction as I headed toward the area of 21st and Broadway, so it was taking twice as long to get to my client's home.
I don't let it get that quiet very often.  Like I said, usually there are some awesome tunes or else I have two kids in the back who are either singing, arguing, or trying to talk to me at the same time. 

As I sat there in traffic, alone with my thoughts, someone that I don't have a good relationship with suddenly popped into my head and it didn't take long for some negative thoughts about this person to set in.  I found myself feeling irritable, negative, self-righteous and even a little sad about my interactions with this person. However, as I remained in silence (like I rarely do) I began having thoughts that countered ever negative thought I came up with.  I think God was trying to tell me something.  The conversation basically went like this:

Me:  It's so unfair!  Why must I put up with this?
God: You know why.
Me:  I don't understand why I have to even be around this person.
God:  I want you to think of 1000 nice things that you could do to show love to this person.  You don't know the whole story.
Me: Do I really have to do this?
God:  Yes.
Me:  But it's really not fair.
God:  I didn't say it was fair.  Or easy.  Not only are you going to do nice things for this person, you're going to like it.
Me:  I have to do it AND like it?!?!
God: You got it.
Me:  What if I just--
God: No.
Me: But what about--
God:  No.
Me:  They won't appreciate it or care.
God: Do it anyway.  Are we done here?
Me:  Okay.
God:  Good.  End of discussion.

That was pretty much it, and then I was finally at the home visit.  It's a slightly rough neighborhood, but I've been there countless times, and I felt like someone had my back.  I got out of the car and got on with it.

My point? I listened and I started to adjust my attitude and thought process.  ***sigh***  Not that I had a choice.

Arguing with God is pretty pointless.