I don’t know how many of you were told that if you would just come to Jesus… “Everything would be perfect from now on!” Of course that is not true.  As Christians we have challenges and troubles to work our way through like anyone else.  The difference is the way that way determine to get through.  Reading through Proverbs yesterday, I was struck again by this particular verse:

Proverbs 14:12 (New International Version)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

For about 2 years of my life, I was up and down in a private aircraft speaking at churches and conferences across the country.  At the time, it was more economical to have a small plane in order to fulfill all the engagements that we had on the calendar. There were some days that we travelled and ministered in 3 different cities in one day… that could never have been done with commercial travel.

During that time, I learned something about air travel, especially when navigating through heavy clouds and storms. 

Trust your instruments.

There were times that I felt like we were flying upwards, when in reality we were nosing down.  I discovered that you can’t trust your feelings or personal “hunches” on a plane when you are bad weather.  YOU CAN ONLY TRUST YOUR INSTRUMENTS… AND IT’S A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

The scripture above reflects this truth in our own lives.  In life, if you make decisions in difficult times based on your feelings or your hunches, there will be many times you will get it wrong and you may well be nose diving and not even know it. The instruments in our personal lives are the scripture.  As we read God’s Word… submit ourselves to the teaching of a faithful Pastor in a local church and then determine to navigate all of our decisions with God’s information rather than what “seems right” to us, we will succeed… even if life gets a little bumpy at times and landings are rough.

How does this play out in our lives today?  Well, is there anything in your life right now that you are doing that “seems right,” but is contrary to what His Word teaches us.  With today’s economic storms swirling around us, it would “seem right” to hold on to every dime we get our hands on.  But we know that the scripture teaching that “The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.” (Pr. 11:25)  Perhaps someone has brought tremendous hurt and pain into your life.  It would “seem right” to try to get even and make sure that “they get what’s coming to them.”  But the scripture tells us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Mat. 5:44)

Let’s take our eyes off the storms and circumstances and put them back on our instruments. The Word of God is our guide and our compass and it will bring us safely home.

Blessings and Grace,

Blaine

Categories: General •Spiritual Formation •Thoughts
Tags: times • jesus • lives • safe • difficult • storms
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