I let myself down! Yes, I recently rediscovered that nagging little truth. You know, the truth that I am not perfect!
I always make really big mistakes at the worst possible times, and I make them in front of other folks! How embarrassing is that?
I will tell you something. It’s quite humbling!
Have you ever made a really big mistake in front of someone else? What did you do after that? Did you feel like kicking yourself?
I usually do.
I was kicking myself recently when I realized that God did not make me perfect. I knew I needed to get over myself! Then the phone rang. Although oblivious to the self-inflicted nonsense I was putting myself through, the person on the other end was like a ray of sunshine sent by God. The encouragement she gave me for something else I had been doing was like a hug from God!
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Peter 5:7
Nothing we do goes unnoticed by God. Nothing we endure goes unnoticed by God.
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7
Christians are not promised a bed of roses. From time to time, Christians have struggles. It’s during those times that God’s love and care stands out the most, and it can be seen if we are looking.
How often do we call things coincidences when all along they were God’s provisions?
When my father was dying, I experienced what some folks would call a run of good luck or coincidences. They were neither. They were God’s provisions for me. Here’s what I mean.
- My older brother drove up about the time I stepped off the curb into the hospital parking lot, and he asked me if I wanted to get something to eat. I was too tired to drive. I looked at him and said, “ God knew I needed a ride.”
- The children were young, but Dad was given a room across from the waiting room, and the waiting room had glass walls. I could see them from his doorway.
- Somehow I was never present when really hard decisions had to be made if only because I had to take care of the children. I was informed after the fact.
God provided for me in many ways during that time. He also told me that my dad was dying. Because I knew what was going on, I got to spend most of the last week with him, and I got to be there for my mom when she needed me the most.
LIFE APPLICATION
Whether you find yourself in the middle of a bad day or a much bigger storm, I challenge you to look around and see if you can find God at work. Many times He has provided for me when I did not even know what to ask. He has encouraged me when I needed it most.
Encouragement and provisions come in many forms. Sometimes someone would show up, and at other times the phone would ring with just the right person on the other end of the line. Whether it is a well placed something you need, or a strange coincidence, remember that it just might be God, and God’s timing is always perfect!