All Things Work For Good—even Accidents

IN THE PREVIOUS DEVOTION I talked about remembering 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and thanking God in the immediate aftermath of my car accident. But the accident also brought another verse to mind, the first one I programmed into my brain years ago when I started memorizing Scripture: “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Although the police officer who arrived on the scene of my accident was not interested in the facts of what had happened or the people involved, that situation changed quickly. Within minutes following a call Bob made to a friend, five officers appeared, and they were very interested in both facts and people. The other driver didn’t change her story, but the new presiding officer took both our statements and insisted I see a doctor.

The next day, my family began arriving in town for Thanksgiving, so taking time away from them to see a doctor was the last thing I wanted to do. But the same friend Bob had called from the accident scene was insistent that I see a specific doctor, his neighbor.

Grumbling to myself a few days later as I struggled to locate the doctor’s office, I forced my brain to switch to Romans 8:28. I couldn’t imagine how “all things” in this situation would work out for good, but I knew my responsibility was to love and trust the Lord.

When I arrived at the doctor’s office late on the afternoon before Thanksgiving, it was no surprise that I was the only patient.

“Come in,” the doctor encouraged me as soon as I arrived.

As I walked into the examining room, he blurted out, “I just finished watching a video of you on YouTube, and you told the audience how they can know Jesus.”

I couldn’t seem to process his comment quickly enough to respond.

“But first, let’s check you out,” he said, loud enough that his nurse could hear from the other room.

Under a minute later, he shut the door and was eager to continue the conversation. “Can you explain to me how I can have a relationship with Jesus, like you told those people about?”

Romans 8:28 flashed in my mind. I knew God could work bad things for good, but I guess I didn’t expect the purpose to be this obvious. At first I was a little upset that the doctor had seen me speaking on YouTube since I don’t post any videos and my contract for speaking events clearly states that no filming is allowed, especially for social media purposes. But then I realized that this doctor had just watched me sharing the gospel, and now he wanted to know more. How could I be upset? I prayed silently for help and then explained the good news of Jesus, with the doctor interrupting occasionally to share why his wife had just left him, taking their daughter with her.

When I asked the doctor whether he had questions, he replied, “Just one. Will you pray with me to ask Jesus to be my Savior?”

“Of course,” I responded as I handed him one of the little gospel booklets I always carry. We prayed together and then talked for a minute, and I left with a clean bill of health, eager to join my family.

I walked to my rental car in disbelief. Did that really just happen? I felt as dazed as I had been when the woman’s car hit mine a few days earlier, and my response was the same: “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

No one will believe me, I thought as I left the doctor’s office. Maybe you don’t as you read this, but it’s true—every word of it. Only God can write a story like this one. He used a car accident to direct me to another side of town, to a doctor who was desperate to know Jesus. Wow! Never underestimate the fact that when we love God and are called according to His purpose, He can weave all things, even the worst things, together for good.

REFLECTION

As you think back on your life, can you identify some moments that seemed bad at the time but resulted in something good? How did God work through the difficulty for your good and His glory? Thank Him for His work in the past, and trust Him to do the same in whatever challenges you are facing now. Make sure Romans 8:28 is cemented in your mind, helping you remember to respond in love to the God who loves you, has a purpose for your life, and works everything out for your good.