The tragedies God does stop.

Some people say when they face a death-defying moment that their life flashes before their eyes. That’s not how it happened for me. 

Earlier this week I had picked up my son from daycare and was headed home. I was nearing our house when I had to take a left turn across a main thoroughfare. I was waiting. And waiting. And waiting. I saw a break in the traffic, and started my turn. 

Halfway into the turn, I realized I had completely misjudged oncoming traffic. One car in particular was heading towards me, and fast. I hesitated. My heart hit my throat. I was sitting in the middle of the opposing lane and had a car spreading towards the broadside of my truck like a missile. 

In an instant, I pressed my gas pedal to the floor. I’ve never done that before. I can’t say I prayed my truck would find nearly miraculous speed, because it all happened too quickly. I just acted.

As the tires on my truck literally squealed, I looked over my right shoulder and braced for impact. 

But impact never came. 

As I got through the intersection and was sure I felt the wind of the car pass behind me, my son reacted to the thrust and the sound. 

“What happened, Daddy?” 

“Nothing, buddy. Nothing,” I said breathlessly.

It’s that one word that I want to talk about: “Nothing.” When I got home I leveled with myself. I should have gotten in a major accident with my son in the car. I should have ended up in the hospital. He should have. There should have been a tragic call to my wife. But none of that happened. And that’s when I said out loud, “Thank you, Jesus.” Because there’s no doubt in my mind that he stepped in.

That got me thinking: How many other times has that happened? How many other times should something horrible have happened and it didn’t? Maybe not in the form of a car incident, but what about in other circumstances? How many other times did I skirt tragedy because God stepped in? 

Here’s where I landed: Plenty of times! I can even think of a few others right now.

Let’s be honest, that doesn’t always happen. I’m not going to pretend it does. I know that better than most.

A few years ago God didn’t step in when it came to my sister. She was traveling down the interstate when a man crossed the centerline, hit her head-on, and killed her instantly. Three people died in the accident.

God didn’t stop that one. But he did mine. 

Maybe you're my sister. I know, you're still here if you're reading this, so that's not what I mean. But maybe you’ve suffered tragedies that God didn’t step in and stop. Maybe your struggle isn’t external, but internal. Maybe you have been suffering in silence for years with something you’ve been battling that you can’t shake.

Maybe you have crippling anxiety at times like me. Maybe depression feels like a mid-winter Alaskan snow. Maybe the grief of losing someone to one of those tragedies like my sister's has left you wondering if you can go on.

Here’s what I want you to see. I can almost guarantee you that for every tragedy, for every struggle, God doesn’t step in and stop, there is at least one he has. I found that to be true this week in a very vivid way. And here's the thing: I think we are often so quick to blame God for everything he doesn’t stop but so slow to give him credit for what he does stop. Maybe it’s because it’s harder for us to see when he does step in — it isn’t always as obvious as avoiding a near-certain accident. 

If you're one of those people struggling with that concept, let me leave you with this. As I’ve said before, the crap God doesn’t stop he has promised to use to grow us and refine us. In other words, when he stops the bad stuff, he’s at work. When he doesn’t, he’s still at work. 

So this week, maybe try something different. Instead of thinking about all the times God hasn’t stepped in, try thanking him for all the times he has. That change in perspective could be life-changing.

A version of this post originally appeared at I Am Second (iamsecond.com). Visit the website here.