There’s a story I heard when I lived in Louisiana. The story was told, pre-Katrina, as a kind of joke. I don’t know who created it, but did my best to remember it as it was told to me.
* * *
The residents were warned that the hurricane was going to impact their city and the city recommended everyone evacuate.
One man said, “I don’t need to leave. G-d will save me.”
The waters rose, and a member of the rescue team approached in a boat. “Come on! I’ll bring you to safety!”
The name shook his head and said, “No, that’s okay. G-d’s going to save me.”
The waters continued to rise and the man had to climb on top of his roof. A helicopter came by, saw the man and hovered close enough to drop the man a ladder. “Come on! We’ll bring you to safety!”
But the man refused. “No,” he yelled, “G-d will save me!”
The man drowned.
He stood before G-d and whined, “Why didn’t you save me?”
“I tried! I sent you the hurricane warning to evacuate, the guy in the boat and finally the helicopter!”
* * *
Sometimes when we’re either so immersed in our dilemma or we’re too busy looking up or out for help from the Powers-That-Be, we forget to look at what’s in front of us.
The Powers-That-Be can, and do, utilize who and what is available around us to aid us. That can mean other people in our life; someone whose life path crossed out at just the right time; or a friend lending a hand.
But if we’re too busy looking elsewhere, we can’t see what’s right in front of us. We can’t see who or what the Powers-That-Be sent to help us.
Trust the Process
When we ask for help or guidance, we can’t dictate the “how” or “who”. Trust the process. Usually more than one option presents itself, and not necessarily in a way that we’re expecting.
Of course, we’re always free to say, “No, thanks.” We have free will. And we don’t have to make a split decision immediately; taking time to think it through is a good idea. It’s also okay to say, “Thank you. Let me think about it,” or “No, thank you. It doesn’t feel like it’s time for that.” This may leave those options or opportunities open.
But we might not want to be the man who kept turning away those who were there to help.
Trust the process – again, help can come from some unexpected avenues.
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by Jan Toomer
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