Sometimes life is not fair, but it can be worse. When we think that it is the end of one problem, another one occurs. When we finally pay off one debt, a surprise bill arrives in the mail. When we are healed with one ailment, another health issue appears. So, when does it stop? Let me illustrate it with a couple of experiences of mine before I answer that question.
November of 2004 has got to be one of the worst month of the history of my life. I was driving on the same road, on different days, of course, but in the same month. I was convince that November and St. Andrews Road was cursed with destruction. Anyway, one of the thing was, my husband and I had just picked up some of the furnitures from his aunt who was moving away. So, we drove home with my husband ahead of us in his uncle's Toyota truck while I was driving my Toyota Previa (in case you don't know much about cars like me, that's a van) with my daughter (at the time she was only two years old) sleeping in her carseat. We were fine until we were about two miles away from our home. My husband had passed the light and I had just passed it about 20 ft. when I heard this sqeaking noise-more like ewwwwbonk.
Yep, you guessed it. I was reared ended. My bumper was dented and my china cabinet was broken (without my knowledge), but the lady begged and begged. "What the heck were you in such a hurry for!", I yelled. She acknowledge my anger with "I'm so sorry. I just came from the Kroger pharmacy. I have this terrible allegy. I didn't feel good. I tried to stop, my car just slipped." And, she continued to beg me not to call the police because her insurance would kick her out if they knew that she was involved in another accident. "Please, please, please? I'm begging you. Please." At the time she seemed serious about paying for the damage (no, she didn't pay). So, my husband took down her information, and I was to take my car to the garage she specified and she would than pay for the damage.
Now, before that issue was resolved (It never was, I just decided to forgive her and myself for believing her and went on with my life), I sent my kids to school and came back home on the same road. I remember I was following the bus and a compact car with a sticker saying, "children study better hungry". I also remembered following several cars. I mean the road was busy. I remembered looking at my speedometer and saying to myself, "oops! I'm driving too fast." I was driving 45 mph. So, I slowwwed down. Suddenly, from the time I was aware of my speed to the time the police stopped me, it was just two miles, no more. All the cars in front and behind me disappeared into thin air, except the cop. Aaaaaagh.
Let me tell you, I've never been so afraid. But, waittt! As it wasn't bad enough, my daughter-yes the same two year old daughter-got out of her carseat, came in between the two front seat, stuck her head right beside me and said, "hi", waving her hand at the police. I closed my eyes, tilt my head back (ouch, my neck was stiffed from stress), and said, "Tabitha!". The officer looked at me with sincere acknowledgement and said, "it's alright, I saw her before she got out of her seat." Whew. I was ticketed for violating school speed zone, only.
I was so afraid. I had never been stopped by an officer before. Never, not while I was driving. I was miss perfect. And, oh, I was talking to God before I was caught, too. So, I relunctantly took the ticket from the officer, put my daughter back in her carseat, buckled myself, and shifted the gear onto "D", and continued my conversation with God. "God, how could you allow this to happen to me. I was talking to you. To You. How could you! When will this stop?" Shaking my stiffed neck, "So, is this what you want me to write about? Will this experience help someone someday?" His voice was soft and affirmative, "My grace is sufficient for you."
Just thinking about it right now, stresses me out. But, knowing that God is in control. That He sees all the things that are happening in our lives. That He understands. And, He knows whether or not is our fault. And since, Christ is superior to all things above and below, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", (Philippians 4:13), including the officer who had the audacity to hand me the ticket and wished me to have a good day. I can handle it.
God also gave me Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." God loves us and wants the best for us. The wait may seem long and the troubles may seem like they will never end, but it will. We are commanded to wait patiently and understand that God is God and He has everything under control, including our enemies. This should be music to our ears.
Many years ago, a friend told me that when the evil spirits wrestles with him, he said, "go right ahead, I may die physically by your hand, but I will live in Christ. The sooner I die, the sooner I will be with Christ. Though, you may have my body, Christ has my life." That rings so true.
Proverbs 24:10 says, "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your faith!" Ouch.
Remember Our God is not just any god, He says that He will supply all of our needs. Also, Psalm 16:7 says, "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him." Wow! What a wonderful promise. That means that when we are obedient to His Word, He will cause our enemies to do things for our benefit. Our enemies will live in peace with us. Aaaaah! How sweet it is that I am a child of God. Remain in the Lord today and experience His grace and mercy, sufficient for all of your needs. Whatever problem(s), you may have right now, don't give up. Trust and expect God to answer you. Someone once said that if you pray for rain, bring an umbrella with you as you're heading out.
Until next time, have a blessed day.
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