Tracking

Lately I've ordered several items online, some for work, some for personal use. I love knowing that something (especially if it's something fun) is on its way to me. And I really love being able to track its progress and have a good estimate of when my order will arrive.

However, I have to confess that sometimes I find it frustrating to track an order and see that it is still far from here. Why does it have to sit in a warehouse in Chicago for a day and a half before it leaves? When it arrives in my city, why does it take another day before it's delivered to me? I can see by the online tracker that it's THIS close, and yet I can't have it just yet.

I've thought before that being able to track the progress of my prayers might be handy. If I could look online and see that whatever I've asked for is just a few days away, then maybe I wouldn't worry or doubt. Then again, if I knew that the answer was delayed by several weeks, months or even years, I'm not sure I'd have the patience to wait gracefully. If I get antsy anticipating the arrival of some new books from Amazon, I can't imagine how anxious I'd be knowing exactly when an answer to a prayer would arrive.

So it's really for the best that God keeps certain things like His timing a mystery to me. After all, not knowing how or when He's going to answer helps build my faith as I wait and learn to gratefully accept whatever (and whenever) the outcome. The anticipation gives me an opportunity to experience His peace while I wait. And sometimes the best deliveries are the ones that come unexpectedly.