So, You’ve Had A Bad Day?

“But safety is of the LORD.”

Proverb 21:31

Originally published August 26, 2015

Accidents are God’s way of letting us know we are not in control. They remove the artificial bubble of immunity from our mind. And in such a vulnerable position, we may learn to trust.

I had an accident that shook up my world. It happened while at work, and therefore had to be reported to my bosses. I was interviewed and quizzed on every detail of the ordeal. This I had expected.

I had done everything I knew according to policy- except for one thing- and only I knew about it. Now who would care about a minor detail like that? My first reaction was to keep it to myself: self-preservation. Nobody would be hurt, and probably no one would ever know.

But would I risk something much more dangerous with a little white lie?

No matter how bad your situation, God placed you there, and just like Job (from the Bible, not ‘job’!), he does not allow the devil to tempt you ABOVE what you are able to handle. The Lord is delicately working on you through finely calculated pressures to make you a purer Christian. I appreciate his control.

There is no braggadocio of ‘luck’ or ‘skill’ or any other nonsense before God, because there are no accidents with Him. Face it, you are totally at His mercy, He is not powerless to prevent danger. I am dependent on His mercy in light of my stupidity.

Sometimes, I get fatalistic and think that accidents are  punishment, and punishment is inevitable. It’s the law of sowing and reaping, right? But I must acknowledge the justice of God as His choice. My sense of sowing and reaping is way off anyway – I’ve long forgotten things I’ve sown that may be reaped when I am doing everything right! Whether as a reward for my actions or a trial to make me stronger, I rely on his righteousness in judgment, especially in the event of an accident.

So, why would I wager God’s control, His mercy, and His righteousness in judgment on a lie to save my own skin? My reputation will recover, but I need Him now. “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” (Psalm 15:4, 5)

The greatest safety concern mankind confronts on a daily basis is the risk of losing the Providential protection of Jesus Christ. And for a Christian, losing that would make the worst day ever.

“For thou, LORD, only makest me to dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8