I checked in a doctor’s office at 11 a.m. only to be told by the receptionist that I was two hours early. I had two tests scheduled for that day, one with a nurse at 11 a.m. and one with a technician at 1:00 p.m. A few days earlier, a nurse had called to tell me one test was cancelled but the other was still on.
So I told the receptionist that “they” had called and rescheduled one test but I had come almost an hour’s drive and I “knew” the test for 11 a.m. was still on. She finally said “OK. You’re checked in. Have a seat.”
I wondered if I’d be waiting two hours, but a few minutes later a nurse called my name, and I was cared for. Of course, I grumbled to the nurse that I “knew” my test was scheduled for 11 a.m. but I appreciated that they took me in.
When I got home and checked my calendar, you know what I saw?! The 11 a.m. test was the one cancelled and rescheduled. When I returned to the office a few days later I profusely apologized for grumbling that their office had made a mistake.
So how do I stop the grumbles? Well, I might:
1.
Give
up my right to be right. No matter how sure I’m right, there’s always the
possibility that I’m wrong. I forget that.
2.
Remind
myself God is watching and expecting me to respond in a godly manner. “Let your
gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5 NIV).
3.
Ponder
a solution instead of grumble about the problem. “Since I’ve come a distance,
do you suppose they might see me earlier than scheduled?”
4.
Check
my phone. If I had, I would have seen that I was indeed two hours early.
5.
See
things from another’s perspective. Just yesterday, I grumbled to a luncheon friend
that the waitress seemed abrupt. She plopped our plates in front of us, and I
had to ask three times—three times, mind you—for cocktail sauce. My friend
informed me there were only two waitresses working the entire restaurant
because the owner couldn’t find enough help.
It’s easy to grumble, to pop out the first thoughts that pop into our heads. But keep in mind we may have to eat our words—so keep them sweet.
