There’s nothing glamorous about travel. It’s the destination that’s the important thing. Right? When I was younger I used to think how awesome it would be to go to all the different airports. Planes coming and going. How cool would that be to have that lifestyle? Boy did I get that wrong. If you travel a lot, it soon becomes mundane and even a bit painful. You hurry up to make a flight, only to have to wait because of delays. Add the complications of a COVID world and it becomes less and less glitzy and more and more a chore.
My wife and I travel quite a bit and if you’re not careful, it can throw you into a tailspin. You start to feel “entitled.” It’s the idea that “I do this a lot, therefore I should be treated differently…better than anyone else.” Believe me, that’s not a good place to be. So, what can you do?
Forgive the airplane metaphor, but it’s often necessary to take a 30,000-foot view of life situations to get your bearings. The big picture might help you to deal with the little picture. If it is true that God has a purpose for each and every life…I believe it is…then delays and disappointments may be part of His plan. Instead of going to the airport, train station, or Uber pickup as an inconvenient or “painful” means to your destination, consider the journey as an important part, maybe even the most important part of your experience.
Following Jesus has always been a journey, not an event. Some lessons require time. We see this pattern all over the Scripture. Abraham spent time waiting on a promise. Moses spent time wandering in a desert. Paul spent time studying in Arabia. We grow in our relationship with God as we experience His presence in a real life. Growth is about being in a white-hot relationship with the living God and frankly, some divine lessons require time. Next time you feel the crunch of a delay or disappointment, remember the big picture. Things tend to look clearer at 30,000 feet. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens”