Encouragement

---

One day, while my husband, Steve, and I were driving around town doing errands, we suddenly heard this loud noise coming from our charcoal colored Chevy S-10 Blazer, and we heard the sound of metal clinking on the street behind us. Wondering what had just happened, we pulled over to the side of the street. Steve got out of the car and walked back to see what caused the noise. The whole muffler assembly fell off of our vehicle as we were going down the road causing the ruckus. Now what were we going to do? We didn’t have money to pay for this unexpected calamity and I was going to have to take time off from work to take the car to the repair garage.

Later Steve made arrangements to get our vehicle into the shop and to make payments on the bill. However, Steve couldn’t drive because of a medical condition so I had to make arrangements for time off from work to get the repairs done.

Soon the day came for the vehicle repair. Annoyed at the inconvenience I drove to the muffler repair shop and left the vehicle. But what could I do now? I didn’t like the prospect of sitting in the waiting room for a long time while repairs were being made. I decided to go across the street to the little drive-in café.

As I entered the café I smelled freshly brewed coffee and decided to order a cup. Then I also saw a newspaper vending machine just outside. I set my coffee down on a table and bought a newspaper to read. While I sat there, I started grumbling and complaining at the inconvenience of having my plans messed up.

Soon an elderly Pastor’s wife, who I recognized as a former customer from my parents’ office supply store, came in the door. I noticed her face was downcast and tears were welling up in her eyes. Suddenly I understood why the Lord had allowed the muffler to fall off of our Blazer. This dear lady’s husband had recently died and she was still trying to adjust to the loss and being alone. God wanted me to spend time encouraging this special woman! This was a divine appointment that God had arranged for me.

I invited this Pastor’s wife to come and sit at the table with me. She accepted the invitation, took off her coat and went to get a cup of coffee. Soon she joined me at the table and we reminisced about old times. She poured out her grieving heart to me and I did my best to encourage her. Before she left we were both laughing and having fun talking about the times when God miraculously intervened in our lives. She walked out the door with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face!

I felt so ashamed about my grumbling and complaining over the incident with the Blazer. I had to ask God to forgive me for my bad behavior. But I learned a valuable lesson that day! Now I try not to grumble and complain, and I also watch and wait to find out, “Is this an interruption or a divine intervention? Is God allowing this circumstance because He has a special plan for my life?”

What a joy it is to be used by God to help someone else make it through a difficult time!

Email: [email protected]

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR