Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5, NIV
You never know what to expect when you get onto a plane in bad weather. I always check the weather forecast before going to the airport as part of my routine. But one thing I have found over the years is that what you see in the app is not always what occurs. This is what happened during my flight from Zagreb, Croatia, to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Clear skies, beautiful sunny day, no winds. Perfect! I was not worried until I found out the plane was delayed due to heavy winds. My heart started to pound. The plane, the very small plane, finally arrived. Immediately, my thoughts pictured this small aircraft bouncing in the middle of dark clouds between Croatia and Bosnia. It is funny how the mind can picture something terrible before it even happens.
So, I prayed, “Lord, help me replace these thoughts of dread with Your promises.” We always have a choice to find good or bad in any situation. As a remedy for seeing reality, the Bible counsels, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2, NIV). Firmly grasping this verse, I boarded the airplane.
Sure enough, thirty minutes later, the aircraft began shaking and losing altitude as the strong winds made that small plane dance in the dark, rainy skies. I was afraid. You, like me, have had moments of fear, especially when we feel alone and not in control. In whatever part of the world you are today, in rough circumstances that have brought you to tears, let God cradle you, comfort you, reassure you—you are the beloved of the Lord.
In that little plane, when I was frightened about crashing and dying in the middle of rain and wind, these two words, “Never . . . Never” moved me toward peace and trust that God was indeed with me and in control of the situation. Listen as He speaks to your heart right now. He declares that He will never leave you; He will never forsake you. Never. Never.
The bad weather that day was scary, but God cradled me, and the plane landed safely. You are always in a safe mode with Jesus despite what happens. Trust. Pray and let God guide you into positive, hopeful thoughts for the day. In Him, there is always a safe landing.
Color My World With Love: ©2021 Pacific Press Publishing Association.