I recently read this in a novel: “Everyone was walking around holding their phone like a compass.”

We can all look around on any given day and probably see this in action. In fact, we may be participating in it! I know I have. It’s such a temptation to keep in touch with friends, acquaintances, people you don’t know. . .

And the news! Where would we be without knowing what’s going on in our world right now? Probably in a much better frame of mind.

This is what I’m wondering about. How can we follow God throughout the day if we are constantly on our phone, letting it be the compass of our day and not him?

You may have heard about listening for his still, small voice. It was told through the prophet, Elijah, as he waited for a message from God. I’ll paraphrase the verses in I Kings 19:11-13. Read this great passage to get the full picture.

A great, powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but God wasn’t in it either. Then came a gentle whisper. God was in the whisper.

Are you listening for his whisper?

One day I was shopping in a store at the mall. I went to one of the make-up counters to purchase something I needed. An employee, who was several feet away, leaning on the counter with her elbows propped on it, looked my way and said, “Did you need something?”

“No. I just enjoy standing here.” It would have been interesting if I had said it out loud, but I kept my thoughts private.

Situations like these can be so frustrating. We all have similar ones where there may be a temptation to say something sarcastic. Such as recently when I was in a fast-food restaurant, standing at the cash register, with no other customers around. Eventually, an employee said from several feet away, “Did you want to order something?”

“No. I’m just bored and came to stand at this counter for the afternoon.” I managed to say, “yes,” without too much of a negative tone.

One afternoon, during my work day, I was standing in a McDonald’s to get some tea. There was a line (before Covid days). I happened to be in a spiritual mode (I know — I should always be in that mode. I’m trying!). As we waited, I noticed the man in front of me looked dirty and carried a ratty backpack on his shoulder. “Ok God. If this man needs help, he will just order water.”

He just ordered water.

I gently asked if I could buy him something to eat, and he was very grateful. I could tell he had a rough life. The moral of this story to me is that if there had not been a line, I wouldn’t have noticed this man and been able to help him.

So as impatient as I can be sometimes, instead of stating the obvious, even when I’m the only customer around, I am trying to look around and see where God is working and how I can help. He has to remind me often, but when I think about this Bible verse, I want to be more alert to anything God may want me to do.

“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:58, NIV)

Being kind and patient, even when annoyed, can lead to doing something helpful for Him. You never know when you might have an opportunity.