Faith in God requires more than just one lesson.

Have you ever shortchanged God with your faith? Let me share a story.

The devil wanted to steal not only my joy, but my trust in God’s plan.

A few weeks ago on the eve of an arctic vortex, I was staying with family outside of Denver in Monument, Colorado. It was time to go home, but I worried my flight home to Houston the next morning would be canceled. After being up most of the night checking the weather report and flight status every few hours, I finally prayed and told God I would accept either way as being His will.

I said, “LORD, if the flight is canceled, I will take it that You want me to stay in Colorado another week. If it is not canceled, then I know You are ready for me to go home.” I took a deep breath and drifted off to asleep.

The next morning, I awoke to find snow and ice covered the driveway, yet the flight had not been canceled. My family and I started out early because a travel advisory warned to stay off the hazardous roads. We bundled up, grabbed a coffee, and headed out despite the warning. The usual one-hour drive took two hours in the blowing snow and frozen roads. I felt doubt creeping in, but I prayed and felt a peace that God would get us to the airport safely and on time.

At last, we arrived.

I said goodbye to my family, and they drove away to face the treacherous road back to Monument. I usually need wheelchair aid to the gate due to my bad knees, but they refused to take me due to the distance and length of time to get there. They said boarding would start in fourteen minutes. I argued that it was still an hour until they closed the doors. The manager of the service found an elderly man who would make the attempt to get me to the gate on time, but not to blame them if not.

However, the attendant was slow l, but there was literally no one in line at security so I felt a bit of hope. But then when we went through security the birthdate on my boarding pass did not match my driver’s license and I had to go back to the checkin desk to get it fixed. I was so disappointed. With the slow wheelchair driver, I knew it would be impossible to get the boarding pass fixed, go back through security, and still get to the gate on time.

Resigned, I called my family to come back to the airport for me.

However, while I awaited their return, I questioned God. “Why, LORD, would You allow the flight not to be canceled, and allow us to arrive safely through a gauntlet of snow so heavy that only one lane on the freeway was open, then allow me an hour to spare for me to then not catch the flight?”  Tears welled up and I blinked them away. “Whatever You want Lord, but help me understand. My family have gotten up before daylight on a horrible weather day for nothing?

I felt a nudge.

Oddly, hope began to swell. Then a stronger nudge sent me hobbling back to the wheelchair desk to ask again for an attendant to take me to the gate. I really expected them to refuse, but they didn’t. They asked me to wait for them to find someone again. I waited, unsure whether to call my family again or keep waiting. I prayed again.

Soon, a different elderly attendant approached me. “I want to help you,” he said. “I’ve been doing this job for six years and I believe we can get you to the gate on time.”

With my birthdate on the boarding pass fixed, he rushed me through security, wound me through and around groups of slow walking people, caught three elevators and we rode two shuttles to get to the gate. And when we arrived… the victory of our race had us both praising God. There were at least fifty people still boarding and another, maybe, seventy-five boarded after me.

I had prayed for God’s will.

He knew I was in a hurry, knew the odds were already foretold that I wouldn’t make it. So, if it was His will for the flight not to be canceled, and His will for us to arrive at the airport safely and with an hour to spare, why didn’t the rest go smoothly? Why was the birthdate on the boarding pass wrong? Why did my first attendant walk so slow? And why on earth was the gate so far?

I believe God wanted me to know without a doubt that it was HIM who got me to the gate on time. There could be no doubt, only God could have provided for my need.

And to think I almost gave up. I called my family back to let them know I had boarded the plane. I was in my seat with time to spare, and a long line of people still boarding. Had I not responded when God nudged me, I would have missed my flight. Had to stay in Colorado for another week for the weather to clear enough for me to fly home.

God came through for me.

He will come through for you too. Sometimes, we think if something is God‘s will, then everything should run smoothly, but maybe God wants to show us HE is the one answering our prayers.

I was prepared to miss the flight if it was God’s plan, but the Holy Spirit nudged me not to give up. I am so glad I didn’t. What a lesson I learned. And the wheelchair driver too. Prayer works. Next time you are about to give up listen to the little nudge. It may be the Holy Spirit.

Remember, where ever you are, you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.