Article by Cameron Spink

Perhaps one of the greatest things about having a relationship with God is that he doesn't let you get comfortable with what is happening in your life. Just when you think you've got life all figured out a spanner is thrown into the works.

My spanner came in the form of a bus that mangled the front end of my vehicle on the 19^th of January 2011. In one split second the complexion of my life changed. I went from a man who was organising finances in his head, who was calm and centred and who had everything under control to a little, very shaken, boy.

Control is something that we, as humans try to possess and try to keep hidden from the rest of the world, and this includes God. We seem to live in a world of bubbles and in the vast majority of times we live in comfort, where nothing can touch us. But this is a very dangerous state to be in; it makes us lethargic and listless. God created us to be energetic and vibrant people. A people that is reliant upon God and sustained by God.

As soon as the car accident occurred I felt this overwhelming sense of despair come across me. I realised that this impacted upon my wedding plans for this year, my living arrangement and my job. Basically I had been wretched out of my comfort zone. I felt all exposed and incapable with dealing with what had occurred.

However, I knew two things almost straight away. Firstly, I knew that my car would start and that I would be able to get it home. Secondly, I knew that everything would be alright. Not because we have insurance companies but because God is in control. What is more, a peace has settled over me because I know that an incident like this is perhaps just what I needed in my relationship with God and I found that He was one that I most needed comfort from.

Perhaps the reason why I am able to experience tranquillity when the world around me is screaming is because I now have some perspective. I understand that I cannot go through life with a self-confident arrogance in my own abilities. No matter how competent a driver I felt I was I still had an accident. If you push God out of the driver's seat you will crash.

I am badly shaken but to be honest this is probably what my life needed. Besides crashing your car is not as hard to repair as the disasters that have befallen people by floods or bushfires in this country. Again, circumstances are all about perspective. After all, everyone needs to crash a car at least once, don't they?

Life is not a linear path. You cannot merely plan to finish in as little time as possible. All of your best laid plans go awry when God is not at the helm. It's His way of getting your attention.