Seeing God in the Midst of Crisis

Two are better than one . . . If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” A common joke these days but that’s exactly what had happened.  I was walking my dog and on our way home I tripped. Unable to break my fall, I landed flat on my face, blood streaming onto the pavement.

I couldn’t move.  Fearing I’d hurt myself more than I knew, I tried to get up and managed to crawl to the side of the road. 

Within a few minutes, a neighbor pulled to the corner, ready to make a right turn. Seeing me lying on the ground, she jumped out of the SUV and came to my side. “Are you ok?  

I’m a nurse. Let me help you.” She helped me sit up on the curb and wiped some blood from my face.

“I’ll call 9-1-1. They’ll be right here.”  They were just around the corner.  As we waited, five more cars came by, asked if I was ok, and offered to help.  Jen told them EMS was      on their way. One neighbor came, stopped, took my dog, and watched him at his home until I came home from the emergency room.

After I was x-rayed at the ER and sewn up with three stitches, I was released. Another neighbor picked me up and drove me home.

God was clearly at work in this situation. I fell and hurt myself, but the less than five minutes later, a nurse came by to help me.  Several other neighbors stopped to help and one took my dog home to care for him, taking him off my mind. I didn’t know any of these people, but God brought them to my side to care for me when I needed it.  And now as I heal, friends call and offer to shop, drive me places, or just spend time with me.

God sees us in everything we go through and never leaves our side, just as He promised.  He gives us everything we need. We just have to stop and see how He’s provided. 

Learning takes Practice

I went to observe a class at Greenville Literacy Association and one of the ladies there showed me her work and when I pointed out a mistake she said, “I always do that. I write how I speak.”  I encouraged her by saying that’s normal and that it takes practice to get better. That the more she does it, the more natural it’ll be. And that it’ll become second nature when she does it enough. 

Photo courtesy www.freedigitalphotos.net and
David Castillo Dominici

 

On my way home I realized my relationship with God is similar to that.  When I first set a specific time to read my Bible, it’s awkward, or I forget.  I have to discipline myself to think about it. But the more I do it, the more comfortable it’ll get until it becomes natural. 

I’m not there yet.  It’ll take time, but with practice and perseverance, it’ll get better and easier.  Maybe someday it’ll be so natural I won’t even think about it when I go about my days.