Accidents Part 7
October 26, 2026
Photo by Diana Polekhina
I have heard people say things like, “Meeting you was no accident,” or “Attending that seminar was no accident.” They mean that even though the event seemed to happen by chance, it was meant to be. It was part of a bigger picture.
What is this bigger picture—the grand scheme of things? It is the larger story that is unfolding. It began before we were born and will continue after we leave this plane. It is God’s story, and as such, it encompasses all that happens, even those things we hate or cannot understand. This includes accidents.
Without getting into a theological quagmire about predestination, we must acknowledge that accidents occur. Life includes things we welcome and things we would do almost anything to avoid. We love peace, yet war is also part of the human story held within God’s larger story. We love life, yet death is part of that story, too. We want things to run smoothly, yet accidents interrupt our plans.
Saying these things are within God’s story does not mean God causes or desires every painful event. But perhaps nothing that happens places us beyond God’s presence or the possibility of healing.
I cut my finger with a knife while slicing a tomato. How does that accident fit into God’s story? When I reflect consciously on accidents, I begin to notice what they can reveal:
They remind us that life is not always predictable. Sometimes being on autopilot can cause us to veer off course. Hurrying can work against us. When we are alert to what is happening, we are more aware of the whole situation. When we move through life unconsciously, we may miss the fullness of the gift we have been given.
They can awaken us. An accident can interrupt our routines and bring us into the present moment. We become aware of something we had overlooked: our vulnerability, our surroundings, or our need for help.
They give us opportunities to witness healing within God’s story. I put a bandage on my cut. The tenderness reminds me of what happened, and I slow down. A scab forms, then gradually falls away. My finger heals. In this small experience, I witness the quiet work of restoration.
They remind us that life includes bumps, disruptions, and even deaths we do not want. Some wounds heal quickly; others change us forever. These experiences invite us to deepen our trust in the unfolding of God’s story, even when in our limitations we cannot understand it in its totality.
Spiritual Practice
Reflect on your theology of accidents. How do you understand them in relation to God, and how have they shaped your spiritual formation?
Inquiry
What lies beneath our desire to avoid accidents? Alongside our natural wish for safety, might we also long for certainty or control?
Prayer
Dear God, Grant that I may trust Your unfolding story and meet what comes with awareness and courage. When I cannot find that trust, let Your presence sustain me.
Amen
