{"id":3167,"date":"2026-02-23T05:52:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lorihatcher.com\/?p=3167"},"modified":"2026-02-24T16:19:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:19:40","slug":"routine-mistake-become-divine-appointment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lorihatcher.com\/?p=3167","title":{"rendered":"When Mistakes Become Divine Appointments \u2014 Thoughts on God\u2019s Sweet Sovereignty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Greetings, Refresh readers,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens when a routine grocery store mistake turns into a divine appointment? We are reminded that God can use everyday inconveniences for meaningful purposes. Thanks for reading today! ~Lori<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Never check your grocery store receipt.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unless, of course, you want to find a mistake. Which will then require you to stand in line at the Customer Service desk behind people sending Western Union money grams, buying lottery tickets, and complaining about over-ripe avocados.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, I didn\u2019t follow my own advice. On the way out the store one evening, I couldn\u2019t resist skimming the receipt. It didn\u2019t take me long to spot two (not one, which I might have overlooked) price errors.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I chalk up the loss or ask them to refund my money?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this day of sky-high food prices, I couldn\u2019t let it go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dreaded CSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I slapped my cart in reverse and headed back into the store. I found the shelf displays for my over-priced items, took pictures of the price tags (this isn\u2019t my first rodeo), and headed to the CSD. For ten minutes, I stood in line behind people sending Western Union money grams, buying lottery tickets, and complaining about over-ripe avocados.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the while, my internal dialogue played. Why do I shop here? There\u2019s always at least one mistake. I don\u2019t have time to wait in line. Now the traffic\u2019s going to be even worse going home. I hate Western Union. And lottery tickets. And over-ripe avocados.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, my turn came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnfortunately, two of my items rang up with wrong prices,\u201d I said. I showed her the pictures and she compared the prices to the receipt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, yeah,\u201d she said, squinting at the screen, “those sales are expired. They just didn\u2019t remove the tags.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silence stretched between us before she said the words I was waiting to hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I\u2019ll make it right.\u201d She counted out bills and coins with painstaking slowness. I tucked the money in my wallet, and joyfully pointed my cart toward the door. I had one goal\u2014to get out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Little Boy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s when I saw the little boy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standing just inside the door, he anxiously scanned the parking lot, the entry way, and the face of every person who walked by. Maybe six years old, he had scared brown eyes and a furrowed brow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alarm bells sounded in my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stopped so quickly the man behind me had to swerve to avoid crashing into me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey buddy,\u201d I said, kneeling beside him to avoid triggering his Stranger Danger<\/em> training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He inched away, his wide eyes shifting between me and the doorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you need help?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking for my mama,\u201d he said, so softly I could barely hear him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh! I can help with that,\u201d I said, smiling my best Please don\u2019t be afraid of me <\/em>smile. I touched his shoulder and steered him inside. \u201cCome with me, and we\u2019ll find someone who can help you find your mama.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, he went, relief smoothing some of the wrinkles in his forehead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to the CSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back to the Customer Service desk we went. I scanned the faces, looking for the kindest grandma type I could find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I glanced at her name tag. \u201cMrs. Helen, this little guy has lost his mama. Could you help him find her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cC\u2019mere baby,\u201d she said, reaching for him. \u201cI\u2019ll help you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I turned, confident that my little friend was safe, and once again headed for the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I loaded my groceries in the trunk, put the car in drive, and merged into the steady stream of cars making their way home. In the churning of my thoughts, the Spirit whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spirit\u2019s Whisper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf there hadn\u2019t been a mistake on your receipt that made you wait in line at the Customer Service desk to get it corrected, you\u2019d have been gone long before that little boy lost his mama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou thought you were delayed,\u201d the Spirit continued, \u201cbut you were right where I wanted you to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A picture of the little boy\u2014wide-eyed and trembling\u2014flashed across my mind. He\u00a0\u00a0easily could have been my grandson, separated from his mother and scared that he might never see her again. Eventually someone would have noticed him\u2014but what if that person had evil intent? Or he could have wandered out into the busy parking lot. At best, he could have remained standing there, scared and alone, for who knows how long before his mother found him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you, Lord,\u201d I whispered, \u201cfor grocery errors, for little boys, and for your sweet sovereignty. Thank you for placing me exactly where I needed to be to help that little guy. Forgive me when I whine and complain about circumstances beyond my control. Grow my faith. Amen.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

that we should walk in them. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Ephesians 2:10)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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May I ask a favor?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve read my most recent book, Lord, I Believe<\/a>, would you take a few minutes (less than 5, I promise) and leave a review on Amazon? Book reviews help other thoughtful readers find good books. I\u2019d be SO SO SO grateful. My goal is to reach 50 reviews, and we\u2019re only 6 away. (Thank you RA, Donna, Maryann, and Kari for writing reviews last week!) Your review would bring me one step closer to my goal. Bless you! You\u2019re the BEST!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLICK HERE to leave a review<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do You Know Someone with a Strong Faith Who\u2019s Facing a Tough Situation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Lord, I Believe<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you believe about God? Do you believe that He can restore? Or that He answers prayers? Do you believe that He delights in you?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you spend 60 days in these devotions, Lori Hatcher will reassure you of who God is and who He says you are. In each meditation, you\u2019ll find: <\/p>\n\n\n\n