IN 2009, WE ROLLED OUR VAN and totaled it. The pastor shared this in his sermon on Sunday, and yes, I was the driver. After this incident, I was not allowed to drive in any kind of snow or possible ice on the road. (Haha) That infamous morning, we were on our way to church, hit a patch of black ice and spun out of control and rolled, landing right side up. The van looked like a crushed aluminum can. The insurance company totaled it
. Matt and I were in physical therapy for 3 months and I cracked my rib. I freaked out driving after that for a time. Accidents have that effect on people. What’s worse is that just a few weeks before, we spent $800 out of pocket getting an axle fixed from another icy road accident. Again, my fault. Now you see why I’m barred from driving in snowy conditions. I’m a Texas girl. It was a rough and long season on us and our family. Besides all this, my relationship with my biological dad that I had recently found was being severed. Plus, people were slandering us and lying about us to others in the church. Now, it depends on how you want to look at things.
After the accident, it opened my eyes. We were just excited to be alive and that our kids weren’t injured. In a roll like we had, it could’ve been much worse. Myself, my husband, one or both of the kids could have ended up in the hospital or dead. But we all walked away from that accident. Plus, we were out of a huge car payment. Nothing else that was going on mattered.
You can get angry and bitter at your circumstances or you can choose to trust God. We chose to change the way we viewed the circumstances. In fact, we missed first service because of the accident; but got a ride home after the EMT’s checked us all out and got ready to go back to church for second service. My husband preached a great sermon and I remember being so grateful I couldn’t stop crying and praising Him.
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” Psalms 43:5
Here’s the thing- He never promised that you weren’t going to go through things. He never promised that life was going to be easy. He doesn’t even promise that we will see tomorrow. However, I have a firm understanding and reliance on His Word when the psalmist said, “my times are in Your hand”. I will live as long as He gives me breath. He holds my days in His hands. My life is not my own. I will die when He says and there is no man or no devil that can take me before His time. I belong to Him. And because I obey Him and follow Him; I abide safely under His care. I am not promised that this walk will be easy. Here’s what He does promise:
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:2
I will go with you, says the LORD. He is well acquainted with our pain and the suffering we endure in not in vain. There’s always a purpose. Let it refine you for greater things. But in the process, are you speaking life or death over the situation? Are you praising Him in and through the storm? Why you go through something does not really matter. What matters is how you go through it. And how you go through it can make you better or make you bitter. God may even remove some people from your life.
I had a friend tell me she received a word from the Lord after she lost her mom, “People are a privilege not a promise”. We are not promised that everybody we start out with will end with us. None of us are promised tomorrow. Do you believe that He sees, He knows and He cares? Maybe that fire is a little hotter than you like- He is greater than any fire. Press into Him. Envelop yourself in His presence and abide in His Word. If you trust Him, the fire has no power over you.
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page