Many years ago, I was headed out of town on a business trip with two coworkers. We had a layover in Chicago, but sadly learned that our connecting flight was cancelled. It was late and there were no other flights going to our destination that evening. They could send us the next morning, but then we would miss part of the class that we were to attend.

We then learned that there was another option. We could take a bus for the last leg of our trip. One of the airport employees gave us directions to get through the airport and catch the last bus going out. We walked and walked, down long and empty hallways. “This is how scary movies start,” I told my coworkers. Thankfully, no one jumped out of the shadows to attack us. We made it to the bus. Then several hours later, we arrived in our destination city. We then took a taxi from the bus depot to our hotel. We made it and we wouldn’t miss class. What a relief.

A couple of days later as our trip was winding down, I decided to check on my flight home. The evening before I was scheduled to leave, I called the airline to make sure all was well. But all wasn’t well. I talked to a very nice man with an accent who told me that because I was a “no show” on my flight in, I was booted off of my return flight. I explained to him that I wasn’t a “no show” but that my flight had been cancelled. He understood and worked diligently to get me back on my flight home. I was on the phone for two hours. This man put me on hold most of the time. But he would get on the line every so often and would encourage me by saying, “Do not worry. Do not worry.” (I can still here these words in his accent and it makes me smile.) Finally, in the end, I was safely scheduled for my original flight home.

Looking back at this trip, I remember how frustrating these incidents were. It can be frustrating when our plans don’t go the way we expect. It can be frustrating when we feel circumstances are out of our hands. It can be frustrating when we are at the mercy of other people. All of these frustrations point to a much scarier feeling – as if we have no control. At times it feels like the plans in our lives are slipping through our fingers, like grains of sand.

However, when we walk with God, it makes all the difference. When we walk with God, we learn to trust Him. When we walk with God, we are able to hand every frustrating situation into His hands. When we walk with God, we are able to find peace, even the midst of circumstances that leave us feeling helpless.

During this trip, when different obstacles arose, I sought God and His divine help. It might not always feel like an easy thing to do – handing our concerns to God. But as we walk with Him, day by day, year by year, we see firsthand how trustworthy He is. Then allowing Him to have control becomes easier and easier.

And no matter what we face, we can proclaim with confidence the words of King David found in Psalm 28:7, “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.“

© 2021 Bridget A. Thomas