Skip to main content

You Have No Idea What Will Happen Next

  

               George Keith’s new BMW had just downshifted into first gear and nothing he did would make it shift up into second.  He called the dealership, and they told him to bring it in at 7 am the next day.   When he arrived, he was told that he was going to have to wait another hour because the mechanics did not start until 8 am.

               George was livid!  Why would they have 7 am appointments if nothing could be done until 8?  He had a meeting at 8 o’clock and now he was stuck in a waiting room.  When the mechanics finally came on duty, they fixed his car in less than five minutes.  This made him even angrier!  If it was something so simple, surely, they could have squeezed him in the day before.  Now, his entire day was behind schedule.  George jumped in the car and took off, hoping to catch the end of his meeting. 

               As he raced downtown, George looked over his right shoulder and saw an airliner flying low over the Hudson River.  Then, the jet turned and flew straight into Tower Two of the World Trade Center.  George stopped and watched as the tower burned and collapsed in a heap of rubble.  The meeting he missed that morning was on the 73rd floor of Tower Two.

               Please hear me clearly:  I am not saying that God made George’s car have transmission trouble so that he would not be in the building that morning.  Nor am I saying that God overlooked all those who were in the building and lost their lives.

               My point, however, is this:  Sometimes, what looks bad right now may be a blessing.  Unwanted circumstances can lead to unexpected joys.  The truth is, we simply do not have enough information.  We do not know the big picture.  Looking back, George Keith is thankful for his faulty transmission.  Without it, he would not be here.

               When trouble comes, try to avoid overreacting.  Focus on what you can learn from the circumstance.  Wait and see how things play out.  Pray and trust that God is at work.

               As the cross demonstrates, our best blessings sometimes come from the worst circumstances.

               “I know… you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident—it happens to prove your faith” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Consider This: What is so Great About Grace?

If you were to drive by our house, you would see that Sara loves plants.  Our yard is full of flowers, and Sara lovingly tends every one of them. Which is why I was so afraid when she left town and put me in charge of keeping things alive. She must have been a little concerned, too, because she sent me two videos with specific instructions on how to water, when to water, and what to do.  Honestly, those first two videos helped, but the third one she sent was the one I liked most.  In that one, she said, “Please do your best. I want the yard to look good for the family reunion in two weeks.  However, if something dies, we will dig it out and pretend that it never existed!” That is what grace looks like!  Try your best, do what you can, but if it goes wrong, it will be ok. Sometimes we talk as though grace and effort are opposites.  That is not true.  They are partners. In one place, scripture asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Darkness to Light (Colossians 1:9-14)

 Our transition from lost to found is a gift of God. It is because of God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice.  However, our growth in that new life is at least partially our responsibility. So, what needs evaluation?  Where should this growth begin? What does it look like to walk in the light? Colossians 1 highlights three starting spots.  https://youtu.be/1nWWWj4awh8  
Post a Comment
Read more

New Article: Thanksgiving in Real Time

                    Thanksgiving weekend means that many of us will spend time together with family and friends, eat a lot of food and think about what we are thankful for in our lives.   Unfortunately, after that, most will go back to their normal routines and leave thankfulness behind.                   What would happen if thanksgiving were part of our everyday life, rather than something we focused on a few times per year?   Where would we even start?                 According to Philippians 1:18-26, the apostle Paul remained joyful and thankful, even while imprisoned for his faith, by holding on to three important practic...
Post a Comment
Read more