Smash and Grab!

I was coming back up the hill to my car after a brief river trail jog-walk, and I noticed two suspicious men going around the corner towards my car. I ran as fast as I could towards them, and as I rounded the corner, I saw a gentleman running away from my car, jumping into his car, and speeding off. My heart sank. I got to my car and realized they had smashed my passenger window and stolen my thermos full of watered-down coffee and my lunch bag that contained a few napkins, an empty peanut butter jar, and a spoon. A classic smash and grab.

I paused to take it all in. There was shattered glass all over my car. Today was my day off, and I had a good plan of rest and relaxation and disconnecting. My plans had now changed. 

I knew that if anything about this was to turn out positive, I must immediately forgive this person or these people. I began to pray a prayer of forgiveness, and then—as I have learned many times before—I began to pray that the Lord would bless them. Bless them. Bless their health, their finances, their family, their business… give them joy and peace!

I drove around for a while seeing if I could see their old white car, but no luck. I’m not really sure why I did that or what I was expecting. Just seemed like a natural next thing to do. 

I went home, told my wife about it, and began to shop-vac out all the glass particles. I called and arranged for my window to be repaired. Within four hours of my car being violated, the window was fixed, and the car was in order… cleaner than it was before. The only real price tag was the $220 to fix the window. 

Here's the great thing. I went on with the rest of my day, had a great time with my granddaughters and my wife swimming in the pool, and the day went on pretty much the way I had originally planned.

All things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to His purposes. Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. There is often no purifying work in our lives without some occasional sufferings—some obviously more drastic and dramatic than others.