A CHRISTIAN LADY IS NOT supposed to believe in coincidences. Everything that happens out of the blue and ordinary is done by God’s plan. Of course, in the company of other believers, I’ll say the check engine light going off in my car was God answering a pitiful prayer, but the truth is I secretly thought it could be coincidence. Same for the second and third years it happened.
You can read my story here: Idiot Lights
What I didn’t mention was what happened the third year after the check engine light went out again, but this time it failed the inspection.
“Sorry, lady, but we go by the tests and your car failed by a lot. You need to get the emissions work done and come back.”
Talk about embarrassment after I explained to other customers while waiting, how God had performed his miracles three years in a row.
I took my wounded pride and my car home and fretted. Lord, just because the idiot light goes out, it doesn’t mean my car passes inspection. I need to pass an emissions test.
I wasn’t angry with God because he did what I asked and turned off the light. But I did mention how bad he looked to some strangers I just met.
Later that day, my son called and I told him I had to finally fix my car. He said, “Mom, I just heard on the radio about an additive that’s supposed to work. I’ll bring you some.”
For seven dollars and a small bottle of magic, my car passed the test and amazed the guy at the inspection store because the readings weren’t off the chart any longer.
I pondered over this for quite some time, and my unbelief in God’s power got the upper hand. ‘It had all been coincidence,’ I thought.
I have since realized that if I refuse to believe, I will not believe.
Faith in the unseen is a choice.
Is it possible that it was something other than coincidence that my son would hear an ad on his car radio right before we talked on the phone?
Is it possible that God changed the game because he knew I had put him into a little box as if my prayer and not him held the power?
I had developed my foolproof formula for getting what I want, when I want, and how I want, and somehow I had forgotten I was the child and he is the father.
I may never know, but it’s my guess that Christians who actually pray will have many more “coincidences” in life than those who do not pray. It’s the reason I now have a journal for everything I need or want.
The first prayer is that God will help me with my unbelief, the only thing that will, for certain, keep me from knowing just how big he really is.
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it [demon] out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” –Matthew 17:19-20
As always, it is my intent and hope that my words may encourage you wherever you are in your journey.
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If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.–Jesus (Mark 4:23)
