THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME
The sun was clocking out for the day and being run out of town by a vicious storm that goes by the name of El Nino in these parts. I peered out the gym windows rooting for the retreating sun to make a stand, at least for a moment, so that I could make a mad dash to my car.It doesn’t rain much in Arizona, but when it does it makes up for lost time. Not one of us desert rats in the lobby of the gym trying to wait it out thought to bring an umbrella. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is a fairly common occurrence in this life.
Back in the days of youthful exuberance and trying to live life as large as the state of Texas I was in a few car wrecks. One, in particular, had a buddy of mine riding shotgun in my little jacked up four wheel drive pickup.
We were sitting at a red light in the right-hand turn lane of a mega intersection in the heart of old Phoenix. The worn full sized three quarter ton faded gold Ford pickup hit us at full speed. I never saw it coming.
While I had zero guilt in the whiplash lesson and could just chalk it up to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, that wouldn’t tell the entire story. The truth is, it was a Saturday night, well Sunday morning technically, and we, like the roughneck that hit us, had just closed down a club. The difference was that the hit and run artist was knee walkin’ drunk.
While we were definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time, no one had us there against our will.
I think the old adage about the wrong place at the wrong time might also apply to more than physical places. In fact, I think sometimes it’s where we’re at mentally that causes us to roam into the wrong places and occasionally harms way physically.
It doesn’t matter if we’re using planes, trains, or automobiles as the vehicles to take us where we desire to go. When ego, pride, and the flesh are driving us we’re headed for a crash. With enough crashes, physically and spiritually, the bumps and bruises begin to guide the chosen and wise.
Drawing nigh unto God in earnest has a way of opening our eyes and minds to see this world more clearly than the amazing gift of our physical eyesight. It also has a way that tends to take us out of harm’s way even when we’re smack in the middle of it.
Peace and joy are found in shedding pride and bathing our soul in humility. What pride seeks to find and fulfill in the flesh that comes up short every time, humility before our Maker delivers; we are lifted up.
Without God’s guidance, we’ll continue to find ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, every time. In Him is where we will always be in the right place at the right time.
The only good in me… is Him.
Betty Draper
Sunday, January 17, 2016 @ 7:03 pm
Amen, Amen, Amen brother, me too, the only good in me is Jesus.
Bill (cycleguy)
Monday, January 18, 2016 @ 12:13 pm
With so much garbage being tossed around as “we are good enough” or “believing in yourself and you will triumph” or “your best life is now,” it is easy to get cynical about truth like this. It is not possible to “make” ourselves fly right. It is not possible to live rightly under my own power. Only with the power of the Spirit living in me will I find myself able to be victorious about anything.
Sharon
Monday, January 18, 2016 @ 5:07 pm
Oh Floyd, this one was power-full. A message that could be preached from a pulpit. I once found myself in a very wrong place, but it was entirely my own doing. The *car wreck* that eventually came was devastating. But, out of that moment, God began a tremendous work of restoration. And I began to see that what overcame my “wrong place, wrong moment” decision was the presence of the “right Person, right moment” – The One who steered me away from it all. Back on the right path…
“The only good in me…is Him.”
I love the way you worded that.
GOD BLESS!
Pam
Monday, January 18, 2016 @ 5:07 pm
Sometimes what we feel is the “right place”, isn’t right in God’s eyes. Like Bill said, we need the Spirit to truly be where God wants us to be. Good post, Floyd.
Cheryl
Monday, January 18, 2016 @ 5:21 pm
I love all you wrote here. This line really stood out to me – “Peace and joy are found in shedding pride and bathing our soul in humility.” The thing that amazes me is that sometimes I don’t realize I am proud, and many of the battles God orchestrates in His plan for my life are sent for the very purpose of revealing that hidden, unknown and unrecognized-by-me pride. Ouch! It’s painful on the flesh, but, oh, so necessary for the soul and nature in me. God bless you for preaching truth here, brother.
Hazel Moon
Monday, January 18, 2016 @ 7:19 pm
I think most of us wish we had been somewhere else when something like this happened. I love it how you take us from the scene to the mental and spiritual places we need to guard against and turn toward the only hope we have which is Christ. As always your post is amazing. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story.
Betty Jo
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 @ 4:35 am
Sooooooo true. The only good in me is Jesus! Thank you, Floyd, for consistently sharing, and holding firmly to truth.
Lisa notes
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 @ 7:15 am
I wish I could figure out how to make myself always be in the right place at the right time. Alas. Never will happen on this side of heaven. Thankful for Grace that saves us from those wrong places and times when we end up there anyway. Thanks for sharing this story, Floyd!
Joanne Norton
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 @ 6:02 pm
As usual, you shared straightly, beautifully, and truthfully … with and for the Lord. I appreciate what you have spread around in our nation and to the world. Bless you, Brother. Appreciate what and how you do it. π
saleslady371
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 @ 7:53 pm
This lesson speaks to me as well. I’ve been praying that I will learn how to walk by the Spirit and less of my own determination. The letting go is peaceful. I just returned from a road trip and I was the one in the car that prayed for our safety as we began. No one was uptight when it came for stopping along the way. Well, as we headed west we encountered a huge accident on the interstate. A detour was just put up so we didn’t have to wait in a line of 100 stopped cars and everyone was singing my praise for insisting we stop at Dunkin Donuts for coffee (and yes…donuts.) But it wasn’t really my idea; it was just God answering my prayers for favor and safety.
What do you think of this?????
floyd
Thursday, January 21, 2016 @ 2:53 pm
I think that without question God answered your prayers. It’s a faithful servant that looks first to Him for all matters in the day and this life. Thanks for the reminder, Mary.
Dolly@Soulstops
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 @ 8:21 pm
Floyd,
Yes to this whole post π …especially this: “When ego, pride, and the flesh are driving us weβre headed for a crash. ” And the part about how humility before God is what opens us up to receive His joy and peace…Praising God for giving you these insights… a gift of grace from Him to you then to us π
Cynthia
Thursday, January 21, 2016 @ 2:44 pm
Floyd,
It’s been a while since I checked-in. But, everytime, I do, I find a great story and message on your blog. I am with you! When we shed the pride, it’s as though scales fall from our eyes and ice melts from our hearts. The Lord can take you from empty to full, in seconds, if you just sit at His feet. Love this post~ Cynthia
TC Avey
Friday, January 22, 2016 @ 11:13 am
Pride.
My pride is my thorn….always bringing me to realize my true weakness and need for Christ. Pride brings me low and God’s grace lifts me up (even though I don’t deserve it).
Mike
Friday, January 22, 2016 @ 12:26 pm
I’ve had a life time of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Most of the time it was due to my own bad decisions. It was only when I handed my life over to the One who gave me life that my timing became much better.
Rachael
Friday, January 22, 2016 @ 5:17 pm
Thanks for stopping by Inking the Heart, Floyd. I can so relate to this. When things do happen out of my control I just realize I really was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the incident was just out of my control. This summer my son was in an accident and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time but the incident was totally out of my control. I just had to trust God to get us through, especially since we were 3000 miles away from home. Those are the moments that I cling to the God that is within me! Blessings!
Jennifer Dougan
Friday, January 22, 2016 @ 6:57 pm
Hi Floyd,
Your line “Peace and joy are found in shedding pride and bathing our soul in humility” is what grabs me the most from what you said here today. It fits in well with what I just read over at Bill’s place. Your posts complement each other spiritually. π
How are you? How is your family?
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Floyd
Saturday, January 23, 2016 @ 9:18 am
I’m good and my family is well too. Blessed beyond measure actually! Thanks for asking and I hope all is well with you and your clan, Jennifer.
June
Saturday, January 23, 2016 @ 8:52 pm
Rushing ahead of God often plunges me into darkness and despair. So, too, does hanging back in fear. It is only when I walk steadily, hand in hand, with my Savior that I walk in the Light. Truly the right place at the right time. Thanks for sharing, brother. Blessings to you and your family.
Lisa
Monday, January 25, 2016 @ 12:06 am
Thanks Floyd. Words on paper lead to thoughts and through our thoughts we grow. Thanks for your words!