I was on my way to Jersey in the UK, to visit some friends.
I got to the airport in Malaga to start the journey…
Monarch made me check my backpack…I had 2 kilos more than
the allotted amount.
2 kilos!!!
When
she told me the option of checking
it, my blood boiled and I got snarky. I was perturbed. On the one hand, I was
livid this lady was making me pay 31 Euros to check my backpack. I asked (more
like made a statement) by saying “Really?!� in a snotty way and my
body language probably exuded it, too.
On the other hand, I was upset with
myself…I could have packed differently. I’m also broke and I have to check a backpack for about $45 USD! I
immediately walked to the sales counter to pay my newly acquired fee and the
only positive response I had was, “Lord, forgive my crappy attitude. Have grace
and mercy on me.� And for the next 30-45 minutes, I thought and analyzed the
situation like crazy. I knew worshiping and trying to find the positives were
my only ticket out of the ever tempting pitty-pit I quickly found myself
falling into.
So I had a lot of time to think (ok, let’s be honest, worry).
This was not part of my plan.
From
Malaga to London, I kept thinking of everything in my backpack. My computer, my
Jersey friends’ phone numbers, my clothes. I had nothing except my wallet and my
passport. Oh and I lost my sheet of paper that had all my flight information on
it in Malaga (good thing I have a random memory and knew I needed to go to the
‘North’ terminal). I got to the point in mid-air on the way to London where I
surrendered everything to Him. I said, “Ok, God. I trust you.� And I told
myself that He is good…always.
What came after was another fabulous opportunity
to continue the lifestyle I profess to unabashedly live: complete and utter
dependence on God. I had to give up the possibility of my computer breaking, my
backpack being lost, missing my flight to Jersey, etc. After surrendering, my
next prayer was for peace and continued trust and patience in Him.
Great News! Lesson learned, trust instilled, everything
turned out just fine!! Got my backpack. Found my gate. Made it through British
customs with flying colors and a short friendly conversation with the British officer
(I was surprised…I’ve heard they’re a tough crowd). I grabbed a bite to eat and
some java (duh) and proceeded to my next flight. With my iPod on shuffle, the
song “Industry� by John McLaughlin came on and it just really reinforced this
life of following Jesus for me. He says in the song, “When you grow silent I
start to fall.�
And I got to thinking that God is never silent. He’s always
talking and revealing Himself. But then I thought of that line within the
context of the song- caught in the industry.
The industry we live in demands reliance on self, money,
belongings, and security. And caught in this industry, yeah, we technically
have everything we need. If I relied on myself, my money, my belongings, and my
security, God wouldn’t have had to act because I could take control. Mind you, me taking control would have
been remaining angry and bitter at the ticket lady and the airline. Me taking
control would have been worrying myself sick
and panicking at the London airport. So, caught in the industry of
individualism, it makes Him grow silent because we don’t need Him to act on our
behalf (which by the way, I believe He wants to do). Resulting in us looking
like up-tight jackasses, to be blunt.
I find it freakin’ awesome that after “Industry� Garth
Brooks’ song “To Make You Feel My Love� was next on the shuffle list (which is
God and my love song). God basically revealed to me that when I surrender everything
(computer, 31 Euros, anger, frustration, doubt) He takes it, turns it into my
good, and all because He simply loves me enough to show me that I don’t have to
fall, that He’s not silent and instead I must listen, and, well, the ‘industry’
sucks.
I like my God…a lot. He keeps me on my toes and reminds me
to trust Him in everything…even when I muck up on something as silly as this
story! I am my Beloved’s and His desire is for me. And I quite like it that
way…
Cool thing is, I don’t deserve a lick of it!
