Ministry Resources

We’re Gonna Crash!

Author: Nancy A. Stevens

At last!

All of your hard work has paid off, and you’re finally taking the vacation that you’ve always dreamed of. You settle in your seat and watch people, cars, and buildings turn into little specks as the plane gains altitude. Sunbeams filter through the fluffy clouds, and your problems and frustrations seem a million miles away. Soon you’re enjoying a long-overdue nap.

Wham! A piece of luggage smashing into your skull awakens you to a dramatically different reality. The plane is dropping drastically; some of the overhead storage cabinets have opened, and the turbulence is sending luggage flying in all directions. As you hold a handkerchief to the gash on your head to stop the bleeding, the oxygen masks come down.

The pilot requests that everyone fasten their seatbelts and remain calm, but no one listens. A food cart careens down the aisle, flinging dinners, splashing drinks and turning ice pellets into small missiles. People are screaming. The children in the row ahead of you are crying hysterically.

One large, muscular man yells, “What is the pilot doing? I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!”

Everyone anxiously watches as the man leaves his seat and storms down the aisle toward the cockpit. A cart slams into him, knocking him to the floor. When he’s finally able to get up, he returns to his seat, angrily mumbling.

Chaos and Anxiety

A young woman shrieks, “We’re all going to die!” Other passengers agree with her assessment of the situation.

Chaos reigns, and panic is the prevailing emotion. Your trip of a lifetime is turning into the worst flight of your life. You’re overwhelmed by fear, and you’ve lost all confidence in the pilot, so you unfasten your seatbelt, gather up your luggage, and walk to the emergency exit.

“I’m getting out of here. The pilot obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing,” you mutter to yourself as you fling open the emergency door and jump out of the plane—without a parachute—to a certain death.

Of course, that’s totally ridiculous. Common sense tells us that losing hope in the pilot and exiting the plane in mid-flight is the worst thing a person could possibly do. But let’s be honest. In difficult, faith-trying circumstances, don’t we sometimes contemplate doing just that?

Often our best efforts don’t bring long-awaited results, and we can’t understand why God is allowing such frustrating, perplexing circumstances.

We frantically search our hearts and minds for a solution to the pain. We cry out to God, but nothing changes for the better; instead, it actually gets worse! “Where is God, and what is He doing?” we ask in desperation.

Our Pilot has never crashed a plane or fallen asleep at the controls. He hasn’t forgotten about us. He’s in the plane with us. He is able to manage any crisis. We may not always enjoy the ride, but our final destination will be worth it. So, what should we do in the meantime?

The Bible tells us that the more desperate our circumstances are, the more crucial it is that we obey the Pilot’s orders. Let’s fasten our seatbelts, reread the instructions, listen for the Pilot’s voice, and carefully follow His directions. If we do, then even the roughest flight will have a wonderful outcome.

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