Change of plans...
Have you ever had a flight delayed? What about a delayed flight that ultimately caused your trip to be cancelled? If you have… you know the frustration, stress and all around exhaustion that this situation can bring. In one moment you're at the airport, you've gone through the craziness of security… hopefully without a pat down , you're at the gate excited and at the same time mentally preparing for sitting in close quarters (sometimes next to a complete stranger) for the next several hours. But then… flight delayed. Now to figure out your next move. Will you miss your connecting flight? Calling the airlines while standing in line, hoping someone can actually help you… Ugh the frustration.
Well, this is exactly what happened to us as we were headed to Honduras. We spent 9 hours at the airport, most of that standing in line to get somewhere or to get an answer. Ultimately our delayed flight would've caused us to miss our plane from Miami to Honduras. And the next available flight from Miami to Honduras wouldn't have gotten us there until Saturday, only to turn around and come back on Monday. So, we cancelled our trip… fully refunded… but I pulled out 2 things from this situation that I wanted to share. The first is a somewhat obvious reminder for us all and the second a little more detailed.
God Even Uses Situations Like This For Our Good
Romans 8:28 tells us that God works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. After doing a deep dive and google search it turns out that in the ancient Greek & Hebrew All means ALL. That means every good thing… and every frustrating thing (yes even a cancelled trip - or a traffic jam), God uses it for our benefit. He somehow sees a Bigger Picture and can work with anything to benefit us and help us fulfill the purpose He has for us. Think about that... God can work with anything. This also means He can work with anyone… even those of us that feel unworthy of being used. So the next time you're faced with a frustrating, stressful or annoying situation… just know God can and will use it for your good - so trust Him in the process.
One Person Can Impact Thousands
This whole airline situation happened because one pilot called in sick. And there was no backup available. Thousands were impacted. The customers, who are now missing trips and vacation days… the customer service workers (in-person and via phone) who now had to scramble to find connecting flights and deal with frustrated customers. The ground crew who had already loaded in our bags and are now trying to find out which bag goes where as people are moved to different flights and airlines. The crews in other cities who are now impacted by angry customers… and are putting them up in hotels with vouchers or are dealing with lost baggage (true story). One person impacted thousands in a negative way. The same can be true for you and I. One person (you and I) have the opportunity to impact hundreds and thousands of people every single day. The question is will you? Will you impact them for Jesus or in a negative way? Or will you forfeit your opportunity today to make a difference? In Galatians 5:9 it says that it only takes a little yeast to spread through the whole batch of dough… in the same way - it just takes one person to make a difference in the people around them. Don't believe you can impact hundreds or thousands? Look at your contacts on your phone. Look at your social media friends. I bet it's at least a few hundred people. Not to mention the opportunity to add more. Will you take advantage today and impact people for Jesus? I hope you will.
So remember in every situation you face, every single day… God can and will use it for your good. And you have an opportunity to impact hundreds and thousands of people.
Our trip was cancelled. We will be back in October. But the good news is the Honduran team of 45 doctors, dentists, evangelists and interpreters are continuing the work this weekend without us. They've already done checkups and ministered to 300 kids and have 2 medical clinics happening this weekend to serve and preach the Gospel to almost 4,000 people. We are still partnering financially and covering them in prayer as they go. Will you join us to make a difference… even from a distance?