From Peril to Miracle

“In our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such deadly peril, and he will deliver us.” 2 Corinthians 1:9-11a.

I feel extremely privileged when people reach out to me in their challenging times.  God has preordained purposes in His kingdom for all of us.  I know that God has given me a spiritual purpose surrounding these interactions with others going through their sufferings.  I must admit that when my own personal circumstances bump up again the suffering of others I sometimes get discouraged.  Yesterday was one of those days as I felt overwhelmed in sadness for my own personal trials coupled with the fear of losing a friend to cancer.  I told Bruce yesterday that I needed to see a miracle of some sort…that I needed to see God move.  I went to bed with a very heavy heart and prayed throughout the night.  I don’t remember praying for a miracle, just for the specific items that needed prayer.  When I awoke this morning, it was clear that God had moved through the night.  He extended life in the way that only God can ordain. That is a miracle! 

Sometimes we are so focused on the big miracle…the obvious miracle…the designed miracle that we miss out on the one right in front of us.  We arrange in our mind exactly what the miracle should look like and then fail to see the revealed one.  A miracle is getting that check in the mail that allows one more month’s rent payment.  A miracle is the child who gets another night with her mother.  A miracle is feeling the emotions of despair when going to bed only to feel the spirit of joy the next morning.  It dawned on me after my statement about needing a miracle that I might have already gotten one I didn’t know about.  What if God gave me a miracle yesterday by delivering me from a fatal car crash?  What if my miracle was that one of my children wasn’t struck by a car while crossing the road?  We get miracles each and every day through the mundane but fail to recognize them.  I am so grateful that God performs supernatural acts on behalf of all of us even when we are not aware. 

What is your peril today?  Take it to God and believe Him for His intervention.  Pray for your miracle but hold your design loosely so God can have room to work His power.

“On him, we have set our hope.” 2 Corinthians 1:11b.