A Matter Of Trust

I try to put a lot of myself into these blog entries, so to that extent they are all personal. This one is more personal than most.

It's been several weeks since my last posting. That's because on February 2 I had a car accident. It was a serious accident that could have easily taken my life, and the lives of others. Instead of that tragic outcome, I was the only one injured, and none of those injuries seem to be serious or permanent in nature. It has taken me a few weeks to get my head in gear enough to write to this blog. I'm not 100% yet, but I'm getting there.

It's not my intent to make this entry about the details of my accident. What I want to focus on and share with you are some things I am learning through this process. Perhaps they will be meaningful to you.

The hand of God in my accident is unmistakable. He clearly took a set of circumstances that could have been truly devastating, and reduced it something many times less severe. So if we were prone to question God, the obvious one would be "why didn't you just manipulate things to prevent this accident altogether?" In other words, why did you allow it to happen?

In all honesty I have not spent one second wrestling with that question. In fact, I only raise it now because I have a point to make. 

I have wondered what God is doing in all of this, and what He is going to do, but not from the point of view of "God, why did you allow this to happen to me?" My wondering is more out of a curiosity and could best be framed as this statement. "God, I see your hand in this and it makes me wonder what you are working out. Perhaps I'll never know, but I am definitely curious about what you are going to develop in me or in the lives of others as a result of these circumstances. If you choose to let me in on that some time, that would be great."  

Why am I so sure God is working something out? Three reasons.

• He didn't prevent the accident but certainly prevented it from being a serious tragedy. To me that clearly says He has something in mind.

• James 1 says to be joyful when trials come. Why? Because tests help us grow.

• Romans 8:28 teaches us that in all things God will work out something good for those who love Him. That good may be for us, or it may be for someone else.

James presents a real challenge. I find it as hard as anyone to be joyful when trials come. Right now I continue to have some pain, and that is limiting me in some ways. I tire more easily than normal and for now there are some things I simply can't do. I'm not happy about that. In fact I am impatient and frustrated at times, and generally less cheery than I would like. 

Yet under all of that I have a deep sense and trust that God knows what He is doing. He WILL turn this into something either for my benefit or the benefit of someone else. There is a small price to pay in the process, but I know this is simply an investment in the greater good that God is working out.  I am at peace knowing God is at work.

I have been very much aware during these past few weeks that some people as they go through life are required to make a substantially greater investment. Some have lost their lives. Some have suffered life altering injuries. Others struggle with pain that, aside from a miracle, is not going to go away. My relatively small problems have helped me be more mindful and more compassionate toward those who truly suffer. It has also left me so impressed with those who struggle daily without respite and continue to put their trust in God. In the midst of their own suffering, they say "God I am willing because I know you are working out something good, something important, something that makes this price all worthwhile."

Of course Jesus was the ultimate example of this. Knowing the pain and suffering He was about to experience, He submitted Himself to the will of God because of the greater good that was to be accomplished.

So here are a few things I am experiencing and learning in my own situation. I share them with you in the hope they will be of some help to you now or in the future.

First, I am grateful to God for sparing my life. I am far more grateful even for sparing the lives of others. This encourages me in my trust that God is going to use these circumstances for good, and I hope He might eventually allow me to see what that is. 

Second, I am growing in my ability to empathize with people who are hurting. 

Third, I am encouraged beyond measure by those saints of God who in spite of real suffering are unwavering in their faith and commitment toward God. They are willing to pay the price because they know in their hearts God has not left them but is still at work in and through their lives.

Are you struggling? Consider these amazing words from scripture.

"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore. Amen"  Jude 24 - 25