Coincidence or the Sovereignty of God

A coincidence can be defined as “a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent casual connection.” It is also explained as “The occurrence of events that happen around the same time by accident but seem to have some connection.” As a believer in God, a sovereign God, I will explain these seemingly random situations as being part of Gods perfect plan. God’s perfect timing.

Let me take you back to the fall of 2020. Three-fourths of the way into an eventful, stressful and confusing year for people around the world, I started out on the “Ultimate Journey”. The Ultimate Journey is a three-phase course at Christ Life Ministries that is all about transformation from our selfish sinful nature to a life filled with Christ. Self-life to Christ-Life.

Last fall, I signed up for that class hoping that I could learn how to change my patterns of thinking. I longed for hope and peace. Although I have been a believer for the majority of my life, my heart and mind were filled with darkness and fear. I was stuck on the same track that I could not seem to get off of no matter how hard I tried. My reactions to stress were the same year after year, and no matter what I did to try and get a different outcome, I always fell back to the same negative patterns.

Through out the year, I faced multiple trials. I moved, left a job, friendships ended, medications changed, and important medical providers left.  There were many moments where I wanted to give up. But God was there, and He worked in all of it. I was involved in a wonderful supportive bible study with women who loved me and cared for me. And I found great support from people that walked beside me in my journey toward physical health. Not only was my mind and spirit being renewed, but I was able to prepare for and follow through with weight loss surgery, which along with everything else, has changed my life.

My Christ-life experience is a big part in a life changed. I know how to find hope and joy, even when circumstances might have swept me under in the past. I have learned how to truly trust God even in the trials. I am not perfect, and I still struggle with responses and reactions in situations where I am triggered. But the extent to which those situations steel my joy is much less then before. I have learned to take back the power that I had once given to other people and learned to give it back to God.

God loves me, so much more then I was ever able to grasp. I knew God loved me, and I knew God loved all people, but I was never able to truly personalize that. I allowed the negative things I felt about myself to interfere with truth. God sacrificed His son Jesus Christ on the cross for all of our sins, so that we wouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of our sins, and instead we can live with Him in heaven for eternity. Do you believe that? Do you believe that God can forgive your sins?

The love of God and the greatness of His sacrifice for us is mind blowing. It has enabled me to dig up my pains, forgive those who have hurt me, and hold on to His truth that God has a purpose for my life. He has a purpose for all I have been through. He has been waiting for me to turn to Him and partner with Him on this “ultimate journey” on earth.

Coincidentally, or as I would now call God’s perfect timing, I accepted a position working as a mental health tech at a new behavioral health hospital here in Iowa. I started on this Ultimate Journey with Christ life almost a year ago and finished the three phase class the Tuesday prior to starting this new job. God’s timing was perfect. The job I left in January gave me time to focus on my physical health and have weight loss surgery. I was able to recovery from surgery and finish the Christ Life course just in time for this new job to start. God is so good. God’s timing is perfect. I am beyond grateful for the ways He has worked in my life over the last year. He has provided me with many new friends, strengthened other friendships and has been with me in the highs and lows. I give all the glory to God. None of this would have happened with out His grace. As I continue on this Christ life journey, apart from the actual class, I plan to continue partnering with God and placing Him as my priority. With God all things are possible, and this is just the beginning.