This past half term, we traveled out of town for a couple of days. On our first night, we placed a food order on an app that showed delivery tracking. The estimated time wasn’t bad at all; we could wait, and we were sure the kids would still be awake when it arrived.
In the meantime, we were half watching something on TV, but I kept my eyes glued to the tracker. Then the delivery time started to shift. First thirty minutes, then fifty-five, then an hour, then an hour and a half. At some point, the driver vanished altogether. Every time I refreshed the app, there was nothing. No sign that the food was ever coming. It was so frustrating.
More than two hours passed before another driver finally appeared. I tracked him as he picked up the order and headed our way.
When the notification came through, I went downstairs to collect the food. The moment he handed me the receipt, my heart sank. It was a completely different order with someone else’s name on it. I turned to lament, but he simply raised his hands and said, “Not me.” And honestly, he was right. He didn’t pack the order; he just delivered what he was given. I was far too tired to be angry at him.
I walked back to our accommodation, weary and frustrated. My husband eventually had to go out to find something else we could eat.
I found the store’s number online and called repeatedly to complain about the mix up and delay. When someone finally picked up, the lady barely understood me, and I barely understood her. At some point she just left the phone on, and I could hear chaos in the background as they struggled to keep up with orders. I was livid. I kept saying “Hello? Hello??” I could hear voices, but no one was actually speaking to me. I stayed on hold until I eventually hung up.
We went to bed, but the whole situation bothered me. We hadn’t even eaten the food that came. I didn’t trust it, so everything ended up being a waste of time, money, and comfort.
The next day I tried calling again. Same endless ringing, no response. Later in the day I checked the app again and realised I could file a complaint directly there. So I wrote everything out, attached a picture of the wrong receipt, a screenshot of our actual order, and the proof of payment. Silence for another day. Then finally, an email acknowledging my complaint.
Later that day, another email came with an apology and a full refund.
And it struck me. Human organisations have systems for addressing poor service, checking failures, responding to injustice, compensating loss, and restoring what went wrong. These systems did not invent themselves. They mirror a superior system, a Heavenly system.
If human beings can build structures that process complaints, investigate errors, and offer restitution, how much more the Heavenly system, designed by perfect wisdom? Surely there must be divine departments for justice, for restoration, for recompense. Where things have been unfair, where labour has gone unrewarded, where we have been treated poorly, there is a place to table those concerns before God.
Human systems are simply shadows of a greater one. And if these earthly systems can function and bring resolution, how much more the Heavenly system when we bring our frustrations, hurts, and injustices before Him?
This is why we must not feel helpless when life seems chaotic or when situations leave us tired, confused, or wounded. We are not without recourse. We have a Heavenly system where our petitions are heard, our tears are noticed, and our cases are taken up with fairness and wisdom far beyond anything a human organisation can offer.
Instead of drowning in frustration, we can present our situations before God and trust Him for sound, just, and timely resolution. Nothing placed in His hands goes unattended, and nothing submitted to Him is ignored.
Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.”
If you are in a season where things feel confusing or unfair, I encourage you to pause and bring it before God. Talk to Him about it the same way you would file a complaint with a company that got it wrong. He listens, He responds, and He restores. If you need prayer, feel free to reach out. You do not have to walk it alone.
Treasure in earthen vessels 
Leave a comment