For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. – Romans 1:20
Have you ever almost missed being in a car accident? One of those accidents where you perhaps didn’t shoulder check when switching lanes, and you nearly side-swiped the car beside you? In that moment, did you feel your heart skip a beat or flutter? Did you chide yourself, “Next time, I need to be more careful?” Are there other times you slipped and grabbed the handrail to stop yourself from falling? There are so many times throughout our lives when we find ourselves in these near-miss situations.
What if all those near misses in our lives weren’t really near misses at all, but the hand of God? I believe if we could see clearly into the spiritual realm, we would see God at work, keeping us safe, or using those situations to build our character, or teaching us a valuable life lesson.
What about all those unexplainable situations we declare are happenstances or just coincidences? Or, perhaps, these situations were all planned by God as well, not coincidences—but God-incidences.
If we were to believe that these near misses and coincidences are all works of God for the plan He has for our lives, maybe we should pay much more attention to them! As I ponder some of those very biblical stories where God spoke to His people through these very same subtle nuances, I can see where our Biblical brothers and sisters didn’t recognize their near misses or coincidences, and they suffered accordingly. Or they missed a part of God’s plan for their lives by not paying attention to what was right in front of them. Think about the story of Jonah, David; what about Moses, who never even crossed into the Promised Land?
As leaders, in our homes, businesses, churches, and ministries, we are making the necessary shoulder checks before moving on. Are we looking at who and what is being affected by our decisions? Are we watching for the God-incidences and taking the time to see if they are set in place to stop us, slow us down, or push us forward? Let’s not miss those God-inspired near misses and God-incidences!
In other words, are we seeing all the messages God is sending us? We need to slow down and look. God is speaking!
