Turbulence

Recently I was on a flight. While we were waiting to take off, the pilot came on the overhead speaker and told us that 30 minutes from our destination, he expected to encounter some turbulence. He didn’t expect it to be too bad but instructed us to stay seated with seatbelts fastened.

I was not concerned about the possibility of unpleasant conditions ahead. I trusted the pilots to know what they were doing to get me to the destination safely. I sat back, read for a little while, and eventually took a quick nap.

As predicted, 30 minutes from landing, the plane encountered turbulence. Also, as expected, the bumps were pretty decent. The passengers around me did not even look up from their computers or phone screens. Everyone seemed to trust the pilots to know what they were doing and believed we would land safely.

I had no problem trusting the pilot during this flight. I asked myself why it was. I did not even know this man; to the best of my knowledge, I had never been on a flight where he was the captain. But because he had training and, I am assuming, years of experience, I sat back and continued to read my book.

Is the reason no one was reacting because the pilot warned about the unstable air in front of us, and we had blind trust in a stranger?

After we landed and were taxiing to the gate, I started to think about turbulence in my life. Bumps can enter my life and throw me into a tailspin if I let them. Do I sit back and relax, knowing God is in charge, or do I fret and worry the whole time in anticipation of the difficulties ahead? How do I react to instability that enters my life? Jesus tells us that we will face trials and tribulations (turbulence) in our life (John 16:33). He warns us that we will encounter difficulties before we reach our destination.

As with air turbulence, some things that cause instability in my life are predictable. At times I can see the storms brewing in my life like an air traffic controller can see storms on the radar. There may be obstacles or people that, when I am around them, I may begin to feel turbulent like land formations can cause disturbances for planes. And there are times when I generate my own turbulence through my attitude and actions, like an airplane itself, causing shifts in the air around them as they fly. Also, I can unintentionally cause turbulence for someone around me.

King Saul hotly pursued David and wanted to kill him. David knew he would be king, yet he was on the run for his life. David cried out to the Lord for mercy and protection. In Psalm 142:4-5 he states that he is alone with no one for refuge and that the Lord is his refuge and portion. Psalm 57 also reflects his taking refuge in the shadow of God’s wings until the disaster has passed. Later, David is on the run again from Absalom. I believe that because of his earlier turbulent times with King Saul, he could trust God and his protection during this time. Even though the people were surrounding him, and they may not believe God would deliver him, David believed and trusted. He was so confident that, as Psalm 3:5 states, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.” He relied on God to the point of such peace that he could sleep. Although I am not hotly pursued by people wanting to kill me, I can learn to trust God and have peace as David did. Peace in turbulent times is possible.

Another excellent example of attaining peace during turbulence is Elijah. He is on the run for his life. As a prophet, it was his responsibility to deliver messages from God to people. Over the years, he had many altercations with King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. After one particular encounter, Jezebel wanted to have him killed. Now Elijah runs to the desert and prays to die. Elijah experienced another very turbulent time in his life. Once again, God met him in the struggle and supernaturally provided for his welfare. (1 Kings 19)

Sometimes I feel like I am in the desert under a broom tree and may feel like giving up. I can look at the story of Elijah and see God’s faithfulness. This story is a good reminder not to give up during hard, turbulent times. But to sit back and trust the one in charge. God is fully able to deliver me out of any and all situations. He is faithful, and he alone can bring peace during the chaos. The peace he offers will allow me to rest and regain the strength I need to continue.

Shadrack, Meschack, Abednego (Daniel 3), and Daniel (Daniel 6) faced terrible turbulence. They never turned their back or hearts away from their God. They trusted him entirely, even knowing they may die. This possibility was ok with them because their God was with them, and they knew he was worthy of their trust.

Life will be turbulent. That is just a fact of living in a sin-filled world. No matter how beautiful things look, something will always come along that causes bumps and disturbances in my life. These may not be situations that will cause death, but they will be enough to cause anxiety and tumult. I have a couple of choices as I face these times. I can look at myself and the world and try my best to navigate these difficult occurrences. More than likely, I will not have lasting peace. The other choice is to look to God. Because he has given me his Word (The Bible), I can see his faithfulness and unchanging characteristics. He is the same today as when he delivered David, Elijah, Shadrack, Meschack, Abednego, and Daniel. Each of these people was able to face their turbulence, not because of their strength but because of the God they served.

The Bible contains examples of God’s protection, provision, faithfulness, and deliverance. I don’t need to be nervous when turbulent times arrive at my door. I do need to trust and rely on God. Two great scriptures to turn to are: Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” and John 14:27. In John, Jesus said, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” Like all the passengers on the plane who were at peace because we trusted the pilot, we, as God’s children, can sit in peace as we navigate life’s ups and downs. We did not rush to the cockpit and tell the pilot how to navigate the unsteady air ahead of us. Likewise, we should not approach the gates of Heaven and tell God how to navigate our life. God has proven over and over he can handle and protect us from what life throws at us. He is worthy of our trust.

Trust God to bring peace in the most chaotic situation. You will find deep, contented sleep as you cast all your cares on the Lord, for he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).