Giving Thanks in All circumstance...

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Really! Can we really give thanks in all circumstance? Does our God really expect us to do this? This verse seems to tell us that this is God's will! I was challenged by this verse yesterday as we were driving from Cuernavaca to Villahermosa. This was going to be the longest driving day so far in our journey: little over 10 hours.

We began the day early, leaving WEC International's mission base in Cuernavaca at 6AM. The journey began with a slow drive down a rocky path, followed by a local road with 26 speed bumps (our packed van would bottom out making a horrible scraping noise) and then unfamiliar local highways. I was anxious trying to make sure we are on the right road.

While driving, I missed a turnoff to a highway. I drove about .5 km down where I saw a a good spot to turn around. I give a left turn signal and slowly I began to make a turn. Then a loud screech! It followed with an inevitable thud that shook our van. Looking outside we saw a man bent over his steering wheel of a white Volkswagen Beetle rolling off to the side of the road. We were in an accident!

For some reason, I was not in panic mode; actually there a strange peace in my heart. Obviously getting in an accident in Mexico was not part of our plans and we had read many unpleasant stories and advise about the law in Mexico. However I was still at peace. After making sure Ethan, my wife, and Manases was not hurt, I calmly walked across the road to see how the other driver was.

The white Volkswagen was in rough shape. The front of the car looked like it had a run in with a telephone pole and there was a large spider web shaped crack on the windshield where Senor Fransisco (the other driver) slammed his head. Yet there was still a calm that was un-understandable. Amazingly Fransisco was unhurt! Knowing that everyone was unhurt, the logical brain took over and began to work through all of the things that needed to be done: Call the insurance comapany, notify friends, take pictures... Fransisco had saw us slow down and began to pass on a "no passing zone" when we began our turn; then it was to late to avoid the collision. I was thinking to myself this was clearly Fransisco's fault. BUT, Fransisco explained that on a highway if possible the turning car in the front should pull off to the right before trying to turn to the left. Strangely this made perfect sense to me! I was at fault and I was not angry.

As I spoke with Fransisco, I was thankful that he was not hurt, he was not angry, and he was not trying to take advantage of a foreigner. As I watched the speeding tractor trailers speed by I had to thank God that it was a little Volkswagen with its little engine in the back of the car that hit us just in the right spot to avoid all injuries. (read this little section if you are interested: The Volkswagen Beetle's unique circular design lets the force of impact to roll through the vehicle allowing less force to be experienced by the body. The placement of the engine in the rear and a soft crumple zone in the front allows for less force to be transferred to the other vehicle in the collision (mine) I was in such a position in the turn that allowed for the least impact to our vehicle.)

Amazingly after smacking his head on the windshield and shattering the glass, all Fransisco told us was, "I have a hard head!" Wow! I began to thank God and asked if I could pray for his head. We laid hands and give thanks to God and asked for any needed healing in the name of Jesus. Fransisco is a catholic, who works for the Department of natural resources (Yes we had an accident with a government vehicle). He told me he had three sons, the first two are in Chicago and the youngest (18) was in the school of culinary arts. As we began to share our stories, I felt that this accident was not just an accident but an opportunity for a new friendship. Then, I felt that I should invite his youngest son to our cooking seminar in August (It is a two day trip by bus from Fransisco's town). Surprisingly, Fransisco became excited over the idea. My imagination began to run with wild possibilities of how this divine encounter would take form and bear fruit.

Everything worked out in a very decent time and we were back on the road after about 2 hours. We began to thank God for the accident! We met another great friend. We began to think about how we can arrange for Fransisco's son who is in a 4 year culinary arts program to come to visit us for our cooking seminar in August. I felt like that this was why God let us have this divine appointment with Fransisco. Our car became filled with awe and thanks to our amazing God!

Yes, I am beginning to see, WE CAN GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES! (Yes we can also find a million things to complain and curse about) But, in every situation you have a choice! It does not mean the challenge that life's unexpected circumstances throw at us will be easy to overcome. But, we do have a choice of approaching that circumstance from the point of view of God! God is with us! God is a Sovereign God who knows even our littlest of thoughts. God will not abandon us, He died for us. We have confidence knowing that nothing will separate us from the Love of our Awesome God!..

Have you given thanks today?

More pictures on my facebook (Looke for Kyle Wilson NC)