The Prophetic Plunge: What a Broken Chair Taught Me About Grace.

By MIchelle Lee

We often talk about the ‘beauty’ of spiritual life, but I never anticipated that falling off a chair would become a prophetic masterclass in divine alignment.

There I was, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, from our Lectio Divina Gospel reflections group.  We were gathered around the table, offering up our hearts and bearing witness. The atmosphere was thick with the love of God, that unmistakable common thread that binds us when we handle the serious business of the Gospel.

Then, the support beneath me didn’t so much break as it surrendered. It felt as though a single chair leg was being delicately shifted out of place by a set of careful, unseen hands. The descent happened in slow motion. Much like a baby who doesn’t feel ‘dropped’ during a diaper change, but simply handled, I realised I was being repositioned by my Lord. I wasn’t falling; I was being placed.

It wasn’t a crash; it was a ‘graceful slip.’ Instead of a jarring impact, I experienced a slow-motion dunk into an invisible cushion. I felt completely surrounded and well-guarded, as if I was protected by a divine force that would only recede once the message was fully received and understood. There was absolutely no rush in my spirit to move.

The physical space spoke just as loudly as the silence. There I was, framed by grace: directly opposite me on the wall was a photo of Our Lady, and tucked in the corner right behind my chair was another frame of Our Lady with the Baby Jesus. It was a visual embrace. She is always there! I wasn’t just falling to the floor; I was falling within the sight and care of a Mother who knows exactly how to hold a child. In that moment, the ‘Someone’ speaking was God.

I didn’t panic or feel the sting of embarrassment. Instead, I sat there on the floor, soaking in the message. I was wrapped in the stillness of an omnipresent God who has a truly remarkable sense of humour. I didn’t just endure the fall; I actually enjoyed the journey down.

Why the floor? Why now? As I sat there, the realisation hit me: this year is defined by rapid movements. Life has a way of moving so fast that we start to believe we’re the ones keeping the Earth spinning. We get so settled in our self-sufficiency that we don’t realise our ‘sturdy’ footing is often just a chair with a loose leg, waiting for a divine nudge.  God wanted me on the ground. Not to punish me, but to remind me of my place.

• To serve is to be low: Just as Christ knelt to wash feet, He calls us to the floor to do His work.
• The View from Below: You see the world differently when you aren’t perched on a pedestal.

It sounds a bit “weird,” doesn’t it? To say I’m in love with Jesus because He let my chair break? But when you experience a Love that catches you; a Love that offers zero judgement and total security, even when you’re literally floored, it changes you.

He is calling us all to a deeper level of service this year. Sometimes, He has to break the things we rely on just to show us that He is the only foundation that holds. I’m okay with the ‘falling’, because I’ve finally realised who is catching me.

So, do not be afraid to let go of self-reliance. When we stop trying to hold ourselves up, we finally give God the room to hold us.

God bless you!