This past Easter weekend I had to make a trip from Granby, Vermont to Ellsworth, Maine. My camper is up for sale, and I needed to get it ready for a showing.
Around Christmas last year, God provided a 2002 Chevy Silverado as my new vehicle. Winter was solidly in place here, and Dad lives out in the woods on a long dirt road. Dad’s house would have been unreachable in my old Honda Civic… I’m so thankful He provided what I needed.
“Low Coolant”
I was on my way to Ellsworth, just about to drive into Belfast, Maine. All was well.
Then to my surprise, the dashboard flashed a warning sign.
It said “Low Coolant”.
I pulled up to the next gas station, but it was Easter Evening. Everything was closed. It was dark. Massive amounts of steam flowed out from where the engine was.
By using a jug of distilled water in my car, I made it to the Belfast Irving. I asked permission to fill the radiator with water using my jug… they said yes.
After several trips back and forth from the employee sink, one of the attendants said, “Do you need some antifreeze?” She went to her car and gave me a few jugs, already diluted. “Something similar just happened to me. I have a bunch of these, and don’t need them all.”
I was so touched and thankful for her kindness. Most people would have wished they didn’t have to work, and ignored me.
Somehow, I made it to my Ellsworth home, despite all the steam.
Not a punishment, but His protection
I settled down to rest… but woke up a few hours later, feeling very anxious about what had just happened. Was this a punishment from God? The Honda Civic needed major repairs, and I had very little money to spare; I hadn’t worked since mid-January. To me, it looked like I was now stranded in Maine, with no way to get back to Vermont.
Was God angry with me?
The next morning (a few hours later, that is), Bill Bradshaw from my Maine church home came over. He looked under the hood of my truck. He discovered that the hose to the heater block was being loosely held. When he touched it, it came right off!
“You are very lucky you made it here!”, he said. “If this had come off, the engine would have instantly shut down right where you were!”
At that moment, I realized that what I thought was a curse from God was actually a miraculous blessing… His faithfulness in action! If it weren’t for his mercy… what would have happened next??
Anyway, Billy showed me how to fix the problem myself. A few hours later, it was fixed.
I made it back to Vermont the next morning… and the repair only cost $70.
If you think God is angry with you, think again. Spend time remembering what happened. Tell God how it made you feel. He can handle it.
Then look at your story a second time. Is there something there that shows that He was actually protecting or helping you?