It wasn’t an accident, that’s for sure. Nothing ever is, right?
It was a few days ago that me and five of my roommates loaded up and headed south down I-35 to Rob’s Ranch. We all were alumni and decided to go down to personally pick up what was to be the next guy moving into the HIA Mentoring Homes, let’s call him John. We were all pumped as we always are when we’re headed back “home”. But about half down my phone rang. It was John. As soon as I heard his voice I knew something was wrong. He quickly spit out the bad news like it was soured milk. “I messed up Lance, I found a pill in my wallet last week and before I knew it, it was in my mouth. I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I’ve done this again.”
I sat there for a brief moment, slightly stunned and really saddened. I sighed and quickly told John I’d see him soon and we’d talk about it. I hung up and stared out the window wondering what to do next.
In this line of work bad news is fairly common, you can almost get cold to it, but what happened next is one of the great surprise blessings of sobriety. One of those experiences that you look back on and say, “Wow, God is so cool”.
After a few seconds of staring my head snapped to the right and I quickly realized who was sitting next to me. It wasn’t just some random person. No, it was Greg*, and Greg wasn’t sitting next to me by accident. He was exactly who God wanted to be there when I got that call.
You see, Greg, who was sitting in my driver seat, had just a month before hand experienced almost the exact same thing as John. Greg had gone by his house (not an HIA house) to pick up something and while rummaging through some mail, he found some pills. Before he knew it the pills were in his mouth and he had relapsed. A few days later Greg was tested; he failed and had to leave the house. But he had done his time, completed everything I had asked him to do and so when he asked for a second chance. It was granted.Greg had now been back with us for just a few weeks when he found himself sitting next to me listening to my phone call with John.
I looked over to Greg, told him a bit about what was going on with John and said boy are you in for a treat today, you are going to have the chance to speak HOPE into someone’s life that desperately needs it. Your pain is going to have a purpose!
What happened after that I can’t fully divulge, but let’s just say we witnessed miracles, restoration and watched as God used the mess of one man’s life to become a message of HOPE for another!
And that’s the morale of the story. Out God, in his most masterfully sovereign way, uses all things; good, bad, painful, shame-filled, sad, enraging, hurtful, happy or harmful for His good and the good of his people. There are no accidents and nothing that can’t be worked together for the betterment of those God loves. He makes all things new again. He’s the ultimate creator and re-creator of hope, joy and love. He takes our most painful moments and turns them into His most beautiful masterpieces.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s what God is doing for you right now. Walking right beside you through a mess, to turn it into a message. Whatever, wherever, however you are walking through life, cling to that HOPE today. Let it carry you through. There are no accidents in this wonderful world God created.
He’s an artist and his most stunning work is our grace-filled lives. He is perfect, sovereign and always right on time! It can’t be said enough.
That on our worst days He does his best work.
Hope is Alive!
